Kaminari to Mizu
by deadly-chronicles
Summary: Refusing Naruto's offer to return and stay in the village after the war, Uchiha Sasuke became a traveler and had been travelling for two long years seeking for a new purpose in life. He thought life had been relatively peaceful, until he bumped into one Hyuuga Hinata, dressed in a torn kimono and bleeding badly. . .
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Refusing Naruto's offer to return to the village after the war, Uchiha Sasuke became a traveler and he had been travelling for two long years seeking for a new purpose in life. Life was relatively peaceful, until he bumped into one Hyuuga Hinata, clad in only a torn kimono and she was bleeding badly. . .

**A/N:** Hello there. It seems that I got too attached to SasuHina after** Haunted by The Uchihas** that I just have to write another one. I was actually planning for a GaaHina fic, but in the end I decided to put that on hold first and published this SasuHina fic first. Updates will not be regular. It depends on how free I am really. I have midterms in few days time and here I am publishing a story. My priorities are screwed.

This fic will be... below 20 Chapters I think? I am not sure for now, neither am I sure whether if I should keep updating. Have fun.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

_by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

Dark clouds slowly took control over the clear sky and the bright round moon that had been shining proudly now disappeared, hidden in the darkness of the sky as the clouds reigned. The rain began to fall, drop by drop, and the villagers ran seeking shelter to escape the upcoming raging storm. For the first time in years, rain was finally appearing again in Amegakure, the Hidden Village of The Rain, where it had fallen to darkness in the hands of a feudal lord ever since the death of their god, Pein, and their Lady Angel, Konan.

In the middle of the village, a huge mansion now stood extravagantly, its elegance envied by many villagers, but what was happening inside, nobody knew. A beautiful woman stood quietly in one of the room, her small and lush lips bleeding as she bit it hard to muffle her soft cries. Her arms were bruised and her thin purple kimono did little to help cover the wounds on her delicate neck. Her midnight blue hair was a mess, revealing the curse seal on her forehead and she quickly evened out her fringe to cover it up. Her pale white eyes which used to glisten beautifully were now empty and lifeless as she stared at the metal door. Her room was like a prison to her, no windows, nothing to show her the outside world, but she could hear it, the sound of raindrops and the sound of footsteps coming nearer and nearer towards her. Her legs moved and her body shifted as she raised her hands ready to strike.

It had been years and she had fought. She had always fought. What went wrong, she had no idea. It was supposed to be the next stage of her life, of any women's life, but she didn't agree to _this_. Yet again, she was a failure, unable to fulfill a simple arrangement the elders had set for her, but she couldn't take it. The pain, both physically and emotionally, she had enough. She was Hyuuga Hinata, a shinobi and so she would fight. She would fight for her rights.

The footsteps gradually got louder and she switched into her position. Her eyes were fixed on the door and the moment it opened, Hinata made her move. She jumped and she struck the wretched man who entered, locking all of his chakra points so he couldn't activate _it._

"You insolent woman!" The man yelled as Hinata made her escape. "Guards!"

Hinata paid no heed to the men chasing her as she searched for an exit. Her only focus was just to escape from here. With her Byakugan activated, she rushed towards the nearest exit, evading the kunai's flying towards her. She gritted her teeth in pain when one kunai stabbed her right arm, but Hinata ignored it. A guard caught up to her, slashing her in the process, but she fought back. She then ran and ran, but the guards were gaining on her. She needed to get outside. Knowing that she would be outnumbered, Hinata jumped out of the window, shattering the glass into pieces.

"Catch her!"

She ran throughout town as fast as her legs could carry. It was dark and most of the villagers were inside, too afraid to go out. However, there were still some lingering outside in the rain, watching as she ran, observing as the guards continued to chase her. She slipped and fell and she heard the footsteps of some villagers coming to her and Hinata could only hope that they would allow her to escape freely and not hand her over to the guards. She looked up and her pleading eyes met their empty ones.

"Run. Quickly, before it's too late!" They finally said.

Hinata looked at them thankfully and she quickly stood up and continued running. She increased her speed, but the guards continued to chase after her. She turned and turned, but wherever she went, they would be there. She changed her direction again and smiled when she saw the gates. She knew once she went beyond the gates, she could enter the forest and ran past the border where it would then be harder for them to track her. However, her happiness was short-lived and she grimaced when she saw the guards near the gates. Hinata stopped knowing there was no way she could escape without a fight. The three guards at the gates took a step forward and surrounded her. Hinata didn't run. She stayed on.

"Go back, Lady Hinata. You don't want to create any trouble do you?"

"I refuse to go back to that wretched place."

"Then we'll use force, Lady Hinata." The guards warned.

Hinata didn't move. She didn't run. She just stood still and waited for the guards to attack. There was a reason why she chose this day. She could try to escape anytime, but tonight was special, because tonight, the rain was here. The rain would help her. Water was her element. The rain would protect her. Without further ado, she got into her stance. As the guards struck, Hinata closed her eyes and she envisioned the raindrops. She focused her chakra and absorbed the rain. Controlling the flow of the water with her gentle fists, Hinata pushed it towards the guards, sending them flying to the walls.

Wasting no time, she dashed out of the gates. Never once did she look behind. She was finally out, that was all that matter. When the forest was within her line of sight, hope crept into her heart and she increased her speed. This was it. She could finally escape. She had no destination in mind, but she couldn't care less. She could finally escape, from this wretched place, from this pain and from this nightmare.

She entered the forest, and she knew they were still chasing her, but as she got in deeper and deeper, their presence gradually faded. However, Hinata took no chances. Even though her hand was bleeding profusely and she knew she should stop to heal it, she could not risk it. She had no desires to go back there again, not anymore, not after what she had been through. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes at some of the painful memories, but she held it back and continued running.

The thunder roared angrily and mercilessly as she leaped from trees to trees. She held back a scream when another struck again, but again she didn't stop. Despite now drenched and shivering in the cold, Hinata kept on going. She had to be brave because now, she had no one. She was alone, but no matter what she vowed to survive. She won't let herself fall. She won't let them catch her.

Hyuuga Hinata would keep on running as far as she could because she never ever would want to return to _that place_ anymore.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

To him, life no longer had a purpose. There was no meaning to it. There was no reason to smile, and there was no reason to kill either. There were only bitter memories left which continued to haunt him again and again. Uchiha Sasuke wondered why he was even still alive if he no longer had the will to live. Even though life now meant nothing to him, he couldn't end his own life. He never dared. Perhaps he was afraid, scared to experience the pain of death when he had killed many, or perhaps he just secretly wanted to live. Even when life no longer had anything for him, deep down Uchiha Sasuke still wanted to stay alive, hoping to find something, anything, to live for.

It had been two years since the war ended and Sasuke now was a traveler seeking for a purpose, but most importantly, in hope to find peace for himself. Memories of the war were still fresh in his mind. He remembered how deeply he wanted to destroy his own village. He could still remember fighting Kabuto alongside his dead brother, brought back to life by a forbidden jutsu and even now, he still remembered Itachi's final words to him before the man departed from the world of the living forever, the words that continued to play in his mind every single day till now.

Perhaps it was because of Itachi that he ended up fighting alongside Naruto instead of against him. Maybe it was because he remembered his brother that he decided to help the Allied Five Nations to stop Madara and Tobi's plans. It was because of his brother's love that Sasuke chose to spare the village instead of destroying it, even though deep within his heart he still despised it, but perhaps because he knew of Itachi's love for Konoha, he finally decided to let it go for the sake of his brother's happiness in the next life.

However, things didn't change much for him. He was still bitter. He was still angry, and he still hated Konoha. Till now, he couldn't bear to lay one foot into the village because it would just bring back the bad memories. Granted, he did have some good memories there with his former team, that he couldn't deny, but bad had overshadowed the good. No matter how he tried to forget, the village still reminded him of his clan's massacre, of Danzo's part in it, but most of all, of Itachi's pain. The village would make him remember, bitterly, of Itachi's sacrifices, of what he did for him and because of that, Sasuke vowed never to step foot into Konoha again.

Hence here he was, travelling aimlessly for about two years now. As he had helped during the war, the Five Nations had agreed to pardon him— thanks to Naruto's persuasion of course who was now the Hokage after Tsunade stepped down. Naruto fought for his defense, and even though he did not condone Sasuke's actions, Naruto argued he at least deserved justice for what had happened to his clan and since he had helped end the war, the least he deserved was to be at peace. The Allied Nations were reluctant to let him go unpunished, but with Naruto's constant persuasion and when the Kazekage finally backed him up, they agreed to let the Uchiha go and he was free to reside wherever he wanted, as long as he remained well-behaved.

Of course after his trial, Naruto had beaten him up, yelling at him for making his life miserable ever since he left. Sasuke knew he had caused him pain, so he allowed the blonde to inflict pain on him and after an hour of beating, Naruto cried while laughing at the same time, and told him that he was glad the bastard was finally back.

Naruto then persuaded him to stay in Konoha, where he promised that he wouldn't have to suffer anymore, that he could start anew, but Sasuke declined. Wounds would never heal. He knew till the day he died, he would never forget about Konoha's part in the annihilation of his clan and he could never forget that night where everyone died in front of his own eyes.

While he was secretly thankful of Naruto's offer, Sasuke wanted to start afresh and in order to do that, he must first stay away from the source of his pain— which is the village. Hence, he became a traveler. He traveled from rural villagers to the urban ones, from open lands to deserted ones, and he continued on travelling hoping that one day, he would finally achieve peace.

It had been good so far especially since he was travelling alone. There would be no one to annoy him or slow him down and he didn't have to force himself to socialize. Travelling made him forget and even though he was still a bitter person, even if he was still an asshole, to Uchiha Sasuke, this was currently his peaceful life and he was glad that he had chosen to travel for these two years.

"100,000 yen." The innkeeper told him.

Sasuke stared at the woman in disbelief. He was damn sure that this was pure extortion. 100,000 yen for one small room? He definitely knew that was impossible. This woman was toying with him.

"You are kidding," The Uchiha grimaced and glared at the lady in front of him.

"I'm not. It's the normal rates here," she winked at him trying to look seductive which only irked the Uchiha further, "of course you can just spend a night with me in my room and that would definitely be free. So what do you think, handsome young man?"

Sasuke frowned and glared at the woman in disgust. "No thank you."

Saying nothing else and ignoring the flirtatious look the woman was giving him, Sasuke stomped out of the inn, annoyed that he was stuck in those kinds of situations again. While he had said that his life had been peaceful for these two years, there were still those annoying moments, like just now. It seemed that the Uchiha's curse of attracting ladies, be it at what age, was still prevalent and Sasuke had to brace himself to deal with female stalkers and innkeepers that tried to flirt with him. Those were only the minor things. He still had to deal with something scarier such as annoying waitresses who drugged his meals with sleeping potion hoping to get their hands on him, and even some crazy innkeepers and barmaids who sneaked into his room at night trying to _molest_ him.

Honestly speaking, he had enough. At times, Sasuke was so freaked out by the actions of the female species that he chose to camp in the forest instead, far away from civilization and free from crazy stalkers and perverts, and tonight happened to be one of those nights. Disgusted by the actions of the innkeeper just now, Sasuke decided to spend the night in the forest where it would definitely be more peaceful.

Grumbling about the perverted nature of some females, Sasuke entered the forest and searched for a river— the perfect spot to start a camp. The entire forest was still damp since it had been raining continuously for a few nights and Sasuke was definitely glad that it had stopped, or else he would really have to sleep in the inn under the lustful gaze of perverted stalkers. After leaping from trees to trees following the stream, he finally found the river and Sasuke wasted no time to set up camp by the riverside. Leaving his belongings and his katana- now untouched for quite long behind, he quickly set out again to search for wood. He returned minutes later with a few blocks of wood and started the fire. He then sat down and allowed the warmth of the flames to reach him, staring at the sky above and just think.

The sky was relatively clear. It seemed the weather would be good tonight, something he was thankful about because he wouldn't have to dash for a shelter if it suddenly rained. When his stomach started to growl, he knew it was time to prepare dinner. Rather lazily, he got up and walked to the river to freshen himself up. When he was sure that there were no peeping toms, Sasuke decided to just wash himself up there. Undressing himself, he entered the river and allowed the cool water to calm him. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to think again as the water relaxed him. He didn't take long though as his stomach had been protesting wildly in hunger.

Changing into a new set of clothes, he began his search for dinner. As he was feeling rather lazy today to hunt, Sasuke decided to just stay by the riverside and catch some fish. He managed to catch a few, enough to last him for the entire night and he wasted no time to place them near the fire to cook them. Again, as he waited for the fish to cook, Sasuke just stared at the flames and think.

He thought about Naruto and wondered how he was doing right now as a Hokage. He thought about Sakura and wondered if the medic had finally come to term with her feelings and let him go. He thought about Kakashi-sensei where he believed that he was just somewhere reading his perverted book. He also thought about Team Hebi which had split up ever since the war ended. He wondered if Suigetsu was still annoying, if Juugo could finally control the monster inside him and whether Karin had found someone new to admire. He suddenly recalled the moments where he had traveled with others and Sasuke suddenly felt alone.

Yes, he had to admit, travelling by himself could be lonely, like now. While he actually preferred to be alone, it would be nice to have a companion at times— companions that wouldn't annoy him though. Not someone like Naruto who babbled continuously, or Suigetsu who annoyed him with his profanities, or Karin who would just stalk him, or Juugo who was just too loyal. A desirable companion to him would just be someone who was as quiet as him, wouldn't annoy him with redundant questions, just someone who could emit a calm and comforting presence without having to talk much. Someone like . . .

All of a sudden, Sasuke heard a rustling noise. It was soft, but he heard it. Someone else was here. Putting aside the fish he was cooking, Sasuke whipped out a kunai and stared at the direction the noise had came from. As the rustlings got louder, Sasuke prepared himself to attack, but when he finally saw the approaching figure, Sasuke immediately stopped.

A woman with long midnight blue hair, clad in only a torn purple kimono stood before him, the drenched kimono revealed her voluptuous figure and luscious curves which attracted him greatly. He was still a man after all, so he couldn't deny that the sight before him was rather. . . tempting. Her entire body was shaking, her skin was pale, almost lifeless and her breathing was ragged, rather uneven in fact and whether she was panting or struggling to breathe, he had no idea. However, what he found confusing was that she looked strangely familiar. . .

He knew this person. He had seen her somewhere before and it was only when her confused white eyes met his dark ones that he realized who she was. She was a Hyuuga. He knew her. He vaguely remembered her from the academy, but he just couldn't remember her name.

She took a step forward and it was only then did Sasuke realized that she was badly injured. Her legs were swollen, her small neck was covered with bruises and she was bleeding badly. Their eyes met again and as if realizing who he was, she wobbled weakly to him, staring deep into him with her pleading eyes.

"What the— " Sasuke growled when she suddenly grabbed his arm and clung to it as if it was her only source of life.

"D-Don't send me back there, p-please. . ."

The barely inaudible plea were the only words Sasuke heard before the girl closed her eyes and fainted in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you _MewBladeXxX, SuperSillyFoxx, Xx Jas Rey xX, darknessunbidden, Guest, Dark Amy Chan, Inspirational Stars, poprockwitch, Guest, AoiTori18, Guest, Astraea 12, damnheart o3, Lord Kami, Ro0w'z, Midnightgoddess, Toaneo007 Ver 2 0, xi chen chen, Bleachichihime, jassie, dumdeedum, MissLuppi, MinaSmile209. Jacovy, anon, BadxGood, lightning, Oh My Glob, Guest, Shizuka, Guest, Saki-Hime, hpnarutardsjedipirate1234, lady sweet pink, Guest, Zack, PhoenixRain26, payung biru, rayna06, kklalorinelover, umnia, tu fan, hi5, OPrincess ShinigamiO, yo0o0o, TheLoverofMusic, Anoninon, nora-hime-chan, Guest, Akila2022, Francis and hateme101_ for your reviews.

**A/N:** Well, sorry for the delay. Screwed up by mid-terms, no mood to do anything, and I fell sick. Hahahaha, anyway, here goes the second chapter. Hope it's all right. Thank you** MewBladeXxX** for beta-ing!

**Disclaimer:** I do not and will never own Naruto. Hahaha.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 2**

_by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

The cooling breeze blew as the villagers strolled and chatted happily. Children ran gleefully, some running in circles and some impersonating their heroes, and their laughter resonated throughout, symbolizing the peace they had achieved after the war. The breeze grew stronger and housewives rushed out of their houses to save their laundry while men prepared themselves for the day's work. As the beaming villagers continued on with their daily lives, the blonde stood quietly near the window as he watched them from the Hokage Tower with a smile etched on his face.

He never thought that this moment would really come. It had always been his dream, but Uzumaki Naruto had never expected to be the Hokage at such a young age. Granted, Gaara became the Kazekage at a much younger age than him, but Naruto still had trouble believing that he was here. He never thought the old granny would leave her post and hand it to him right after the war. He never imagined being so approved easily by the villagers and the council, but yet here he was. It seemed so surreal, but two years already past and now at the age of 20, Uzumaki Naruto was leading the village, protecting it as the rightful leader.

He knew he didn't get to this position on his own. He perhaps had been alone last time when he was a young boy, but now he had support. Without the support from his teachers and his friends, Naruto knew he would never become a Hokage. All the things he had been through with them, from graduation from the academy, to the formation of surprising friendships followed by laughter and pain, had gained him maturity. Sasuke's betrayal, the death of the people he cared about, and the war— all these had changed him and while he was still the bubbly and cheerful man, Uzumaki Naruto now could see things from many perspectives. He could still be very cheerful, but he would be really serious when the situation required him so.

He chuckled at how serious he was when he defended Sasuke during his trial. It was a difficult task judging from all the atrocities the last Uchiha had done, but Naruto put on a great defense, though it was tough at first since Sasuke wasn't really the most lovable person in the world. With Gaara's backing, Naruto managed to convince the Allied Nations to let his friend go. The last Uchiha was released, with the condition that he remained well-behaved or else no more chances would be given. Naruto remembered beating Sasuke hard right after the trial, and the last Uchiha didn't even bother to fight back. At that moment, Naruto was simply angry, but he was also glad that the friend he had been trying to save all this while was finally back.

The Hokage moved away from the window and sat near his desk facing the piles of paperwork, smiling sadly as he thought about his friend. Sasuke had returned, but he refused to stay. He remembered the day like it was yesterday when Sasuke said he was leaving again.

**xXxXXxXxXx**

_"No!" The blonde practically screamed out loud._

_"Naruto, it's my life. I can choose to do whatever I want," the last Uchiha said looking at his friend with indifference._

_"But you just came back!"_

_"I didn't want to come back," Sasuke spat, "The only reason I'm here is for the trial."_

_The blonde stared at him in disbelief, but he wasn't going to let this go without an argument. "But—"_

_"There's nothing left for me here, Naruto." Sasuke cut him off._

_"Nothing?! Sakura and I waited for you all these years and you said there's nothing?! We are here, teme! We'll be here. . . for you!"_

_Sasuke stared at his friend and sighed. "You won't understand. I still hate this place."_

_"Teme—"_

_"This village will just bring back bad memories. My clan, the massacre . . . Itachi. Staying here will just make me bitterer."_

_Naruto kept quiet, his gaze fixed on the floor. He raised his head and his blue eyes met his dark ones. "Where do you intend to go?"_

_"Nowhere actually." Sasuke answered nonchalantly._

_"What?! You can't just wander off without a destination!" Naruto argued._

_"That's the purpose. Without a destination, maybe I can find it again."_

_"Find what?"_

_The blonde's eyes softened when he heard Sasuke's answer as he looked at the clear sky, his eyes lost and confused._

_"Peace."_

**xXXxXx**

Of course Naruto had allowed Sasuke to leave. He was reluctant, but if travelling would help him achieve the peace he was seeking, Naruto knew he had no right to obstruct him. After all Sasuke had been through, he deserved to search for that peace and for that purpose in life. Thus, on that day two years ago, Naruto bid farewell to his loner of a friend. He then told Sasuke that if he ever needs anything, he would definitely be here waiting and the last Uchiha just left with a small smirk on his face.

The only thing that irked Naruto was that Sasuke cut off contact with him ever since then. The bastard didn't even bother to visit, or send letters to inform him of his whereabouts, or ask how he was doing. Naruto knew that the last Uchiha wasn't the friendly type, but he thought at least Sasuke would have the courtesy to send regards to his concerned friend, but he didn't. Uchiha Sasuke simply vanished, and at times Naruto wondered if Sasuke was coming back, or that few days of the trial was just his imagination.

With a sigh, Naruto started on his paperwork knowing that thinking about his lost friend would not help reduce his workload. He was about to get started when his door suddenly barged open and a lean male who shared some resemblances with his lost friend entered, his signature smile still etched on his face.

"Sai! Don't you knock anymore!? I could be changing!" The young Hokage said, flabbergasted.

"I apologize," Sai answered with the smile still on. "Sakura never knocked before so I thought it was all right, and I doubt you change in your office."

"Sakura-chan is Sakura-chan! It's just weird if a guy saw me change!" Naruto argued, "And I do change in my office, just a warning."

"So you won't mind if a girl barged in here unannounced and might see you half naked, but freaks out if a guy sees you changing?" Sai looked genuinely confused.

"Well duh! It's creepy if a guy stares at your half naked body." Naruto shuddered. "But if it is a girl, they will—"

"—pummel you hard," Sai completed for him.

Naruto opened his mouth to argue that girls would most probably fall for his amazing body, but he realized that most of the girls who usually entered his office would indeed hit him hard. Sakura would definitely beat him up violently, Ino doubtlessly would react the same way as Sakura and Tenten might just throw all her weapons at him. Knowing that there was no way to argue, Naruto just closed his mouth and pouted childishly before grinning widely.

"So what's up?"

Sai held back a chuckle at his friend's childishness before his expression turned serious. Ever since Naruto became the Hokage, he had served as his assistant. As the other ninjas were busy with their own duties, some with clan issues and others now holding a high-ranking position, Sai offered his assistance to Naruto. Since he now was freed from Danzo's control, he thought he should start his life anew, and perhaps helping Naruto just like how Shizune assisted Tsunade would be a good start. Naruto of course had agreed since Sai was his good friend, and it would be nice to have a friend as an assistant as he could irritate him if he was bored, though he didn't mention this part to Sai, but Naruto had a feeling Sai knew.

"The messenger hawk received a letter. I was on my way here to hand back a mission report when I saw it." Sai stated.

"Again?!" Naruto heaved out a sigh. "Man, the letters never seem to end! Being a Hokage is tough! Who is it from this time?"

"Amegakure."

"HEH? What does that bastard creepy leader from the Hidden Rain wants from me?"

"You asked me. The letter is addressed to you." Sai said as he handed the letter over to Naruto. "You don't seem fond of him."

"No one is fond of him." Naruto rambled as he reluctantly opened the letter and read it. "I mean, even you don't like him. All of our friends despise him ever since he—"

The pause was rather abrupt and Sai observed as Naruto's expression changed from annoyed to a mixture of anger and concern as he stared at the letter.

"Naruto?"

The Hokage suddenly stood up immediately walking to the door, the letter now crushed in his hand and Sai could sense the sudden change in his aura. "Cancel all my meetings today."

"Very well." Sai assured him before looking at his friend with concern. "Where are you going?"

Naruto stopped and Sai could detect the bitterness in his tone as he spoke out those words.

"The Hyuuga Compound."

**XxXxxXXxXXxX**

Sasuke really wondered how he always got himself into these situations. All right, perhaps he was exaggerating, but he really marveled in his ability to always be caught in a dilemma of whether to help someone, or leave that said someone alone. Apparently now was one those situations as currently clinging onto his arm was one unconscious Hyuuga. It all happened so fast. One moment she appeared out of nowhere looking disheveled with loose clothes which just made her look tempting, next she was in front of him holding his arm for dear life and almost immediately, she fainted right in his arms.

"Oei, wake up!" He tried to shake her off, but there was no response. It occurred to him right there and then that this woman had indeed fainted on him.

"Shit." He scowled in annoyance. "Just great."

This led to an inner conflict within himself which was currently battling between leaving her alone or helping her. His asshole self was telling him to just leave her here and go, but then there was his semi-asshole self combined with his semi-kind self who was telling him to look at her wounds so she wouldn't die of blood loss and then he could leave her. Then there was his 'seeking for peace' self which argues that if he wants to achieve peace, the first step is perhaps to help someone in need. It also didn't help that another part of him was currently recalling his mother's teachings who repeatedly emphasize to him when he was young to never leave a woman alone if she needs help. As his inner selves battled each other, Sasuke decided to just screw them and follow his gut feeling for now.

And his gut feeling says he should help her.

Now looking at her pale complexion, Sasuke wondered if she was alive or dead. Not knowing what else to do, he placed the girl onto the ground and checked for a pulse. He could feel it, but it was weak which means she was still alive, but if she didn't receive any medical aid soon, she might die. Rational thinking told him he should stop the blood gushing from her right arm, so Sasuke did just that. He moved her nearer to the fireplace since her body was getting colder, which Sasuke knew wasn't a good sign.

He quickly rummaged his backpack taking out the essential medical supplies such as bandages and some medical ointments. Since he was travelling by himself, Sasuke made it a point to be equipped with necessary medical supplies in case there was an emergency, and when he means emergency, he actually refers to something bad happening to him and not to others. With the supplies, it would be easier to treat himself without having to go to the village healers which would just waste his money, or just freak him out if the healers were females.

However now, he was wasting his medical supplies on someone else, a stranger in fact, and Sasuke had no idea what to feel about that. Perhaps he should be annoyed since he was wasting his supplies which he bought with his own cash on a stranger. Granted, he did know this girl from the academy, but he barely talked to her before and he couldn't even remember her name, so this Hyuuga was as good as a stranger to him. Nevertheless, since he already took out all of his supplies, he figured he shouldn't waste his efforts and just treat her.

He began treating her right arm rolling the sleeve of her kimono which was now fully coated with her blood. He stared at the wound completely horrified at how deep it was. Judging from the huge gash, it seemed like she was stabbed and slashed. It made him wonder what in the world had happened to her. The last thing he recalled about this Hyuuga, she was the heiress of the Hyuuga clan, and so why was she here in this forest in such a state?

Well, whatever happened to her, it was none of his business, thus Sasuke just continued treating her wounds, wanting to get it done and over with so he could continue on with his journey. He bandaged up her right arm tightly to stop the bleeding, and he didn't even care when some of her blood smeared onto his clothing. The Hyuuga stirred and Sasuke immediately paused wondering if she was regaining consciousness. He was unsure whether her waking up would be good or bad since her reaction wasn't something he was sure off. She could just scream for all he knows and it would just make things complicated. He inwardly sighed in relief when she didn't open her eyes, and resumed his deed in bandaging her wound, only to notice that her hands were colder than before. Quickly tightening up the bandage, Sasuke checked her pulse again and frowned.

Her pulse was weak, even weaker than just now, and he knew that even if he had stopped the bleeding, she probably wouldn't make it without proper treatment or a proper environment to rest in. After all, she looked malnourished, and the wounds and injuries on her body definitely didn't help her condition. His rational self was telling him that he should bring her to the nearest village since every village has a healer. Also, having a mattress or a bed to rest on would most probably allow her to heal faster. His stubborn asshole self though was telling him that he had done his part, and if she died here, it wasn't his problem and it would only mean that she was too weak to survive. Again, there was still this tiny part of him which recalled his mother's teachings where he remembered his mum telling him that leaving someone to die wasn't a good thing. His inner selves battled once again and after what seemed like eternity, his rational self plus his memories of his mum won.

He decided to bring her to the village, hand her over to the healer and leave her there since he had done his part of a Good Samaritan.

Packing up his belongings quickly and putting off the fire, Sasuke carried the unconscious girl and placed her on his back. Not bothering to wash away the blood smeared on him, with a huge scowl on his face, Uchiha Sasuke then dashed to the nearest village.

**xXXxXXxXXx**

Honestly, he wondered if the sight of an Uchiha carrying an unconscious woman on his back was a sight to behold as the moment he stepped into the rural town, everyone was looking at him. He wasn't new to this town since he had rested here for quite a while, the very same town where the innkeeper extorted him hoping to get him in bed with her. Maybe that was why people were staring at him because the last time he was here, he didn't mix around with anyone. He was the antisocial dude who kept to himself and glared at anyone, at females especially, who tried to approach him. His short stay was enough for the town to assume that he despised females, or humans in general, hence seeing him here again carrying an unconscious woman was rather ironic, they must say.

The stares weren't bugging him actually. He was so used to it that it no longer affected him. What disturbed him though were some of the whispers he heard. Uchihas have sharp ears, although sadly, not many know that, which is why many are whispering about him right now and some of their words are annoying the hell out of him. It includes whines from fan girls about him having a girlfriend which only makes him cringe as well as crude remarks such as _'poor girl, he probably killed her and is looking for a place to bury her body,_' which makes him scowl deeper. He tries not to take offence. He knows his reputation of being a heartless and cold bastard is still intact, thus he isn't surprised if someone thinks he killed this woman, but yet a part of him still hurt since he hasn't killed anyone for two years and even if he tries to deny it, it still hurt when people continues to think of him as some . . . monster.

Irritated, he stopped and glared at the nearest passer-by. The petite female melted at his gaze even though it was scary and Sasuke rolled his eyes knowing it was another fan girl.

"Hey you," he called out the girl rather rudely but she had the courage to actually swoon, "where's the healer?"

The girl didn't answer him and just stared at him dreamily making his scowl deepened. He was already having a terrible day, and these fan girls may just make him start killing again.

"Hey, I need to know where the damn healer is!" Sasuke repeated with a hinge of menace in his voice. That caught the girl's attention and she answered while still looking at him dreamily.

"The healer is away today," the girl told him and Sasuke mentally cursed his bad luck.

"Till when?"

"I think it will be for the whole week."

Sasuke didn't bother to hide his irritation. He glared at the girl even though she didn't do anything wrong, well except for looking at him in such a creepy manner, but it wasn't her fault that the healer was away. Mumbling a cold thanks, Sasuke walked away wondering what to do next. The very purpose he bothered to carry the Hyuuga all the way to this town was to bring her to the healer and now the healer wasn't here? Seriously, how terrible was his luck? Since the healer was unfortunately out of the town, Sasuke thought the only viable option left was giving this Hyuuga a proper place to rest. Maybe she would heal on her own, and he would request the innkeeper to check on her or something after he leaves. Without wasting time, Sasuke made his way towards the inn, not looking forward to seeing the flirtatious innkeeper again.

"How can I help you again, handsome young man?" The innkeeper winked the moment he entered, but her expression changed when she saw that he was carrying a girl.

"I need a room," Sasuke stated.

"Sorry hun, we are fully booked for the night."

"Seriously? I just came by two hours ago!"

"Many asked for a room in those two hours." The innkeeper indifferently said.

"Look, this girl is injured," he motioned to the Hyuuga on his back, "she needs a proper place to rest. You offered your room two hours ago. I don't care if the room is small or big, I need just need a damn room!"

"Hmmmm," the innkeeper stared at the unconscious girl he was carrying before winking at him, "well . . . you can have my room, after we have some fun."

Now Sasuke was really angry. "Screw you." He growled in such malice which made the innkeeper flinched. He gave the innkeeper a death glare before stomping out of the inn to calm himself.

Great, just great. There was no healer, and the innkeeper wouldn't let him use her damn room unless he sleeps with her. He was really frustrated, annoyed and he was fuming. He began to question why he was even doing this in the first place. It wasn't like he was going to gain anything out of it. The Hyuuga won't probably remember that it was him who helped her.

He felt the girl stirred and he tilted his face to look at her. Her expression was tensed and her breathing was becoming more ragged than usual, and the gash on her arm was also opening up again. Her face was paler, and her skin was getting colder. Sasuke grimaced. She looked so fragile. . . and pathetic.

'I should have just left her in the forest,' Sasuke furiously thought to himself.

"Do you need a place to stay?" A voice snapped him out of his thought.

Sasuke turned around and saw an old woman looking at him. She was hunched over, holding on to a wooden stick for support. Her old age was evident from her wrinkled skin and her gray hair was tied up to a messy bun, but what intrigued Sasuke were her eyes. It was white . . . or grey, he couldn't really tell, but it made him wonder if she was blind, but she was looking right through him as though seeing his very soul. The old lady gave him a thin smile before looking at the girl she was carrying.

"She doesn't look so good," she said.

"You can see?" Sasuke found himself asking.

"White eyes don't mean blindness, young man. You should know that." She smiled wryly. "Follow me back to my place. I used to be a healer, so I can check on her."

Sasuke watched the old lady warily as she led the way, but he didn't move. The old woman faced him again, her thin smile still on her features. "You should learn to trust others more often, young man. I won't jump on you. I'm too old for that. Besides, the girl needs help."

Sasuke gave her a confused look, but decided to follow her anyway. It wasn't like he had any other choices. The Hyuuga needs treatment, and if this old woman can provide it, he might as well just hand her over to her before leaving. Hence, Sasuke followed the old woman as she led the way towards her small cottage. They walked past a deserted alley, and he was curious as to why this old lady was staying so far away from the rest of the town. The journey to the cottage was long. After a twenty minutes' walk from the town, he finally saw the small cottage, surrounded by trees and bamboo sticks.

"Put her on the mattress." The old lady told him the moment they entered the small house before she disappeared into what he assumed was the kitchen. He did what he was told and placed the Hyuuga onto the mattress that was prepared. Sasuke stared at her one more time. She seemed calmer now, still pale, but not as tensed as before. Realizing that he had stared at her for ten whole minutes unconsciously, Sasuke then turned to leave.

"You're leaving?" The old woman's voice stopped him.

"Yea."

"It's not nice to leave your girlfriend here alone."

"She's not my girlfriend," Sasuke answered, slightly annoyed, "I don't know her."

Well, he did know her, but not well enough. After all, he couldn't even remember her name, so that was equivalent to not knowing her at all.

"Ah," the old woman smiled as she checked on the wounds. "So you help a stranger in need. What's your name, young man?"

Sasuke sighed in frustration. "Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke."

"An Uchiha." The old woman chuckled. "A Hyuuga and an Uchiha. This is interesting."

Sasuke stared at the old woman suspiciously. He didn't remember her seeing the Hyuuga's eyes. The girl had been unconscious all day long, which meant she had yet to open her eyes. So how does this old woman know . . .?

"How do you know that she's a Hyuuga?" Sasuke found himself asking even though part of him told him he should just leave already, but he couldn't help it. This woman was suspicious . . . and strange.

The old lady said nothing and just smiled as green light coated her palms which were hovering above the Hyuuga's wound. "Do you believe in fate?"

"What?" Sasuke raised his brows. He was now convinced that the old lady was indeed strange.

The old woman chuckled. "You should stay, Uchiha. I'll brew some soup. It's rare for me to have a visitor, so at least stay for the night. You don't have anywhere to go, do you? Those girls will most probably watch you sleep if you return to town, and sleeping in the forest isn't very comfortable either."

Sasuke stared at the old lady, completely stunned and speechless. How did she know everything?

"You won't deny an old lady's request, will you?" She smiled wryly at him.

Hesitantly, Sasuke shook his head. Again, his mother's teachings got to him. His mum had constantly reminded him when he was little that it was rude to deny the elders. Also, what the old lady said was true actually. He really didn't have anywhere to go, and sleeping here would definitely be better than in some inns run by perverted females and in the forest where he has to keep a constant lookout for thieves.

The old woman smiled. "I'll get some extra blankets. Watch over her."

Sasuke said nothing and stared at the Hyuuga. She was still pale, but she no longer looked lifeless. The gash had stopped bleeding for good as well. It seemed that old woman had indeed healed her. With a sigh, Sasuke sat down somewhere around her, not too near, but not too far either. The old woman returned with some blankets, and then she left him again before returning with a bowl of soup.

". . . Thanks." Sasuke muttered awkwardly and the old lady just nodded in acknowledgement before disappearing once again.

Sasuke didn't see her after that and he wondered if the old lady had left the house. He grimaced at the old woman leaving him alone to watch over the Hyuuga, and he wondered why he even bothered doing it. He could leave right now. No one would know, but it was already late and setting a camp outside at this hour would just be troublesome. He was also feeling tired since he spent nearly most of the evening carrying the Hyuuga around. She wasn't heavy, but it was still tiring. As exhaustion took over him, Sasuke closed his eyes and he fell asleep.

He didn't know how long he slept, or what time it was, but when he woke up to a sound of mumbling, it was very dark. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, wondering who was awake at such hour. Standing up to check where the voices came from, he realized that no one was awake at this hour, because the voice was coming from the Hyuuga.

She was stirring in her sleep, turning around continuously even though her eyes were still closed. It then occurred to him that she was having a nightmare.

"Stay away, please . . ." she pleaded.

The Hyuuga continued to mumble and she sounded so . . . frightened. Against his better judgment, Sasuke approached her to see if she was really all right. He didn't expect though for her eyes to suddenly flutter open and for the first time in years, their eyes met; her fearful iris eyes staring deep into his startled obsidian ones.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you Xx Jas Rey xX, damnheart o3, poprockwitch, hpnarutardjedispirate1234, Ro0'wz, MinaSmile209, Shizuka, Laura, kii-chan, Toaneeo007 Ver 2 0, Midnightgoddess, Dark Amy Chan, ProjXPsyClone, xxkiba4everxx, MewBladeXxX, Lord Kami, Guest, rayna06, tatoo26, Msdgirl, Anokia, lady sweet pink, DbzGirl1011, Jacovy, Zero, SasoriHime05, Guest, O Princess Shinigami O, Minky307, TheLoverOfMusic, SillyFoxx, lightning, umnia, Francis, nottrustworthy, Saki-Hime, hateme101, crazyquilt, PhoenixRain26, Daydreamer, kittysaysRAWR, kichisaburo, poilu, I'm 100, mangetsu hyuga, Tsubasa Xaslita Dioz for your reviews.

Sorry I couldn't reply to your reviews. Time isn't really nice to me right now . . . but I really read all of them and I appreciate it so much!

**A/N:** I AM EXTREMELY SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS. REALLY SORRY. Work and assignments had got to me! I had two 5000 words report to complete and two essays due as well and not to mention mid-terms so I couldn't find the time to update . . . Really sorry! But here I am! And I hope this chapter will suffice for now! I'll try to update the next chapter next week, or in two weeks time latest. Still have another report to do.

Thank you to MewBladeXxX for beta-ing at 6am in the morning!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 3**

_written by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

He couldn't be bothered when many Hyuugas rushed around the compound in a frenzy the moment the letter arrived. The compound was in disarray, yet Neji couldn't be bothered to help them. In fact, he felt relieved that she was finally free from the clutches of that _bastard_. As a branch member, there was only little he could do when the elders agreed to the proposal, sending his beloved cousin to the Hidden Rain. The moment he saw that man, the new leader of Hidden Rain, Neji knew he was bad news. He didn't agree to the proposal. He protested vividly against it, but the elders chided him and reminded him of his position as Branch Member. He had no right to stop the arranged political marriage from happening.

It was done against his cousin's will. She didn't want it. No one wants it, but yet the elders . . . The moment the news was announced that Hinata was to be betrothed to new leader of Hidden Rain, Neji went straight to meet the elders. He voiced out his opinions. He told them that his Hyuuga eyes could sense something sinister about the new leader, but the elders merely scoffed at him. Neji even offered himself, telling the elders if they wanted to marry Hinata off that much, he was willing to marry her to unite the main house and branch house together, but the elders disagreed, saying that political ties with the Rain was more important than the unification of the two houses.

He did not have romantic feelings for his cousin, but he cared deeply for her and he was willing to do whatever it takes to prevent the marriage, even if he was to marry her himself. However, the elders did not think the same way as him. Despite protests from him, Hanabi, and her teammates and friends, the Hyuuga clan carried on with the proposal and before any of them could argue more, Hinata was already sent off to the Hidden Rain.

Even now, Neji could remember how angry and helpless he felt when his cousin sobbed in her room the day before she was sent off. On the day she left, Hinata faked a smile telling everyone that she would be fine and that it was part of growing up. Ever since then, no one heard from Hinata anymore. There were no letters, no visits . . . It was as though she was trapped there and Neji knew that something was not right.

Now though, a letter arrived from the leader of the Hidden Rain informing them that Hinata had ran away and if he found out that any of them was hiding her, he would not hesitate to use force. It was an indirect declaration of war which caused almost the entire compound to go into a frenzy. The elders wasted no time to chide the ex-heiress, labeling her a disgrace to the clan and if she was to ever return, she wouldn't go unpunished. They also didn't waste any time to ask Hiashi to organize a search team to locate and bring his disgraceful daughter back to the Rain. Honestly, Neji didn't like the sound of that. If the Hidden Rain or the Hyuuga clan found Hinata first, her safety and well-being would be at risk.

"WHAT?! LET ME SEE THE ELDERS NOW!" A loud and obnoxious voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Neji didn't have to guess to figure out who it was. Judging from how loud he was, Neji could tell that the Hokage was currently not a happy man. Quickly, Neji made his way to the main yard where the source of the sound came from.

"Forgive us, Hokage-sama, but the elders are having a private meeting right now and they do not want to be disturbed," a Hyuuga calmly told the fuming Hokage.

"Anything that involves Hinata won't be a private meeting. I have the right to know what's going on inside there!" Naruto argued crumpling the piece of letter he was holding.

"Hinata-sama is a noble member of the clan, therefore Hokage-sama, this is a clan issue. The Hokage has no right to interfere if it is a clan issue," the Hyuuga responded mockingly.

"Naruto. Let me escort you back to the Hokage's office. " Neji interfered and the blonde turned to face him. He signaled towards a direction and the Hokage begrudgingly followed.

"Neji, your bastard elders refuse to meet me." Naruto grumbled angrily the moment they arrived.

"You should already expect that. Even if you attend the meeting, I don't think you will like the decision they come up with."

"But Hinata is in danger!" Naruto hissed slamming one of his hands onto the desk. "Don't they care?!"

"If they did, they wouldn't have married her off to that bastard." Neji remarked bitterly. "If they cared, they wouldn't have marked her with the seal."

Naruto frowned sadly. "If only I had given her my answer . . ."

"Naruto, now is not the time to lament about the past. Hinata-sama is in danger. Being in the branch family, there is little I can do. I can't even search for her without being spied on. As long as I have this seal, my actions are limited. But you Naruto, you are the Hokage. Even though they claim it is a clan issue, you can take action. You can send out people. We must find her first. If Hidden Rain or the clan get to her before us, Hinata-sama will . . ."

"I'll get it. I'll do whatever I can as the Hokage. " Naruto clenched his fist. "But I'll need insider's information regarding the clan's approach towards the issue as well. Who in the Hyuuga clan is on Hinata's side?"

"Me, Hanabi and Ko are the ones I know I can trust regarding this issue. I am not sure about Hiashi-sama . . ." Neji remarked softly thinking about his uncle. "But we'll give you what we can. I'll leave the rest to you."

The moment Naruto nodded, Neji swiftly disappeared from the office. The Hokage frowned and rubbed his temples. He must find Hinata first. The letter did indirectly say if any of them were found to be hiding the shy Hyuuga, the Hidden Rain would declare war. Honestly, Naruto didn't give a damn about that. He knew no one here was hiding her because no one knew where she was. She ran away from Hidden Rain which means she could be _anywhere_. Neji was also right to say that if they find Hinata before them, her well-being would be jeopardized. Hinata was sealed. Kami knows what the clan or the Hidden Rain would do to her if they find her first. No matter what it takes, they must locate Hinata first before any of them do.

"Sai." Naruto called out his assistance when he knew what he should do. Sai appeared, his expression grim as he waited for his orders. Naruto knew this was his best option. If anyone who was willing to search all the way for her without being followed or controlled by the clan, it would be them.

"Bring Kiba and Shino here."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Her head was throbbing. Her body was seething in pain as she turned around continuously trying to escape her nightmare and find her consciousness. She couldn't fully remember what had happened. All she recalled was that she was running to escape from her relentless pursuers. She remembered running through the forest, her heart thumping wildly as she forced herself not to look back. She ran and ran, and she recalled meeting someone, a familiar figure.

His hair was black and dark, unkempt even, but yet he looked so perfect. His skin was pale as hers and his expression was a permanent frown, and his obsidian eyes seem to be glistening in shock when he saw her. His aura was intense and it screamed darkness and death no matter how she tried to look at it. She knew this man. She remembered him. He was Uchiha Sasuke, the village traitor who returned after the war but soon left again, leaving for a journey on his own.

Her tired mind dismissed this man as a figment of her imagination. It couldn't be the last Uchiha. The world contains a vast mass of land. The chances of her bumping into Sasuke were highly unlikely. Yet, she still approached him. She told herself it was her imagination, but she still clung to him for dear life. He was not real, but it calmed her to see a familiar figure, even if it was the last Uchiha— someone she barely associated with or talked to before. So she grabbed him and she pleaded him not to send her back, vaguely wondering what she could achieve from it if this all wasn't real, but she did anyway before her consciousness faded and darkness consumed her.

Her mind went blank until the nightmares appeared once again. She tossed herself wanting to wake up, desperately seeking her consciousness again so that she could escape from these wretched nightmares. She tossed and tossed and she found it much to relieve. She quickly opened her eyes. She was confused. She had no idea where she was and the first thing she saw was black eyes. Startled obsidian eyes staring deep into her.

_Uchiha Sasuke_

Her mind clicked. The man looking at her now was Uchiha Sasuke. How? Why was he here staring at her? She thought it was just her imagination. Unless . . . Could it be? The man she thought she imagined was actually real?

Startled by the turnout of events and by the way his eyes were staring down at her, Hinata squeaked in surprise. Even though her entire body was still in pain, she forced her hands upwards, slapping his chin in the process. The Uchiha stumbled back.

"What the hell?!" He growled menacingly. Rubbing his now reddened chin, he glared at her. He didn't look too happy.

"U-Uchiha-san?" Hinata blinked in confusion. "Y-You are real?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Great, simply great. Sasuke really wondered why he was still here with this Hyuuga. She was even questioning whether he was real. As if the contact of the slap didn't prove enough. Annoyed, he stood up still rubbing his chin. For someone who just regained consciousness, she had an admirable amount of strength, but that didn't mean he was fine with her slapping him. Not bothering to answer her question, Sasuke walked away and sat far away from her. The old lady suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking rather amused. He glared at her, not liking the smug on her face.

"That's fast. Couple fight right after she regained consciousness?" The old lady smirked.

"Call us a couple again and I'll kill you." Sasuke scowled. He was really annoyed right now.

"What a grouchy young man," the old lady mumbled as she approached Hinata, "Are you feeling better?"

Hinata was still confused. She blinked as she eyed the mysterious old lady and the Uchiha correspondingly. As the Uchiha didn't bother to look at her anymore, his eyes now closed while he leaned against the wall, Hinata turned to face the old lady who was smiling. "W-Where am I? Who are you?"

"I'm just an old lady," she answered vaguely not giving her a name. "You were badly injured, and the young man carried you all the way to town to find treatment. The healer was unfortunately away, so I offered to help and he carried you here to my place for me to heal you."

Hinata blinked as she took in the old lady's words. So she did bump into Sasuke. It wasn't her imagination after all. The man she thought she imagined was real and he helped her. Uchiha Sasuke had helped her and she had just slapped him. What a nice way to show gratitude. Hinata mentally cursed herself and bit her lips nervously as she looked at the stoic Uchiha. Their eyes met for a moment, but he quickly looked away with a deep scowl on his face. Just from his expression, Hinata could tell that he was greatly annoyed.

"What's your name?" The old lady suddenly asked, startling Hinata.

"E-Eh? Hinata . . ." she meekly answered not bothering to add the Hyuuga's name. Honestly she didn't feel like it anymore, not after all that had happened.

"Hinata. That's a beautiful name." The old lady complimented, and Hinata blushed. "You should rest again for now, Hinata. Your injuries are still healing. You should use the night to recuperate."

Hinata timidly nodded and the old lady just smiled again before walking away and disappeared into a room. Still confused, Hinata looked around. The place was small and rather dusty and to think that the old lady was living her alone, it saddened her. She continued observing her surroundings until she lowered her gaze and met his eyes glaring intently at her. She began to fidget nervously under her blankets and she swore she heard him snort when he turned away.

She should thank him. He did help her after all. Perhaps, he even saved her life when she lost consciousness. He deserved a genuine thank you, yet she couldn't open her mouth to say it out. It didn't help that he looked like he would kill anyone who bothered him right now. Sasuke's presence had always been intimidating. Even during the academy days, Hinata never ever associated with him. They only communicated when necessary, which was rarely since he was in a different level. To be honest, unlike all the other girls who fawned over him, Hinata was perhaps even afraid of him. She was a timid girl easily coerced, and the Uchiha's presence itself was threatening even when he didn't utter a single word. His eyes during the younger days were angry and bitter, Hinata could tell, but now as she gazed at him again . . . His eyes were different. They were no longer angry but they were . . . Lonely.

At this observation, Hinata braced herself to speak. Uchiha Sasuke was not a scary man. He was not heartless either. If he was, he would have left her to die. He wouldn't have helped a pathetic being like her, but in the end, he still did. It showed something. It showed that he wasn't that heartless monster people claimed he was. It showed that he was still human and he deserved a proper thank you.

"U-Umm . . ." Hinata tried to start a conversation only to shrivel when the Uchiha's head snapped up and glared at her. Gulping slightly, she composed herself. "U-Umm, sorry for slapping you, Uchiha-san."

He showed no sign that he heard her, but Hinata knew that he had. Heaving out another sigh, Hinata braced herself to speak again. "A-And thank you for helping me, Uchiha-san. I'm really sorry again."

"Whatever." Sasuke answered before turning away again.

That was his only response and to Hinata, that was better than nothing. Glad that he at least replied, she lied back to rest, knowing that the Uchiha won't say anything anymore. Feeling tired all of a sudden, she closed her eyes to sleep, wishing beforehand that the nightmares won't haunt her anymore that night.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

He had a good sleep last night, surprisingly. It was as if something in this hut calmed him to the point that he could sleep peacefully. When the first rays of sun entered the small hut, Sasuke wasted no time and stood up. Folding the blanket the old lady had given it, he placed it neatly at the corner near the Hyuuga. He then searched for the old lady in the house, wanting to at least thank her for allowing him to stay for the night. Contrary to popular belief, he did still have his manners, especially towards the elderly. However, the old lady was strangely nowhere to be found. Not wanting to waste any more time, Sasuke took his belongings and prepared to leave.

He spared the Hyuuga another glance before he left. She was still sleeping, or mumbling in her sleep actually. It seemed that whatever nightmares she was having last night, she was still having it now. Sasuke sighed. Approaching the sleeping woman, he touched her forehead and inserted some chakra to calm her mind. He knew how nightmares felt like. They were definitely not pleasant. Sleep was supposed to ease oneself, not make them more fearful. Whatever nightmares she was having, it only felt right for him to abolish it for now so she could rest better with a peaceful slumber. Sometimes, Sasuke honestly felt that he was getting softer.

When she showed signs of calming down, her features changing from tense to serene, Sasuke retracted his hand and took his leave. He wondered if it was polite of him to leave without saying anything, be it to the old lady or the Hyuuga, but then again one doesn't really associate politeness with the Uchiha. Not sparing the Hyuuga another glance, Sasuke left the small hut to continue on his journey.

"Leaving already?" A raspy voice caught him by surprise. Sasuke turned and saw the old lady looking at him with that grin of hers. He still wondered why couldn't he sense her presence.

"Yea." He answered nonchalantly. "Thanks for the hospitality."

"You are not bringing Hinata along?"

"No." Sasuke answered without hesitation.

"She can be very useful for your journey. She can cook . . . And she can keep the girls away from you." The old lady was persistent. "And she can become a . . . Friend."

Sasuke stared at the woman incredulously. What was she trying to achieve by telling him all this? He grimaced irritably. "No." He answered again and walked away.

"She is in danger."The old lady suddenly said and Sasuke stopped. "Her wounds . . . It was obvious that she was abused . . . Maybe even tortured. It'll be dangerous for her to travel on her own. So are you going to leave a young woman alone, Uchiha Sasuke?"

This old lady was starting to get on his nerves. She was making it sounds like he was a bad person if he left Hinata behind. Honestly, Sasuke didn't give a shit. The girl was none of his concern. Abuse? Danger? It seemed bullshit. He clearly remembered her living a sheltered life when he was still in Konoha. Clans tend to be protective of the heir or heiress after all. So abused? Tortured? Danger? Impossible.

Then again, when he found her, she was badly injured, and she was running away from something or someone. So perhaps . . . Sasuke shook her head. No, it wasn't his problem. Just walked away and pretend none of this ever happened. He had done his part in saving her life. He no longer has any reason to associate himself with the Hyuuga any longer.

"It's none of my concern." Sasuke snapped coldly and before the old lady could say anything else, Sasuke was already miles away from the hut.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Hinata slowly opened her eyes feeling the sudden calmness. Strange how her nightmares disappeared all of a sudden and was actually able to get a peaceful sleep. The nightmares were still haunting her when she felt something warm on her forehead. In her sleep, she felt a spark of chakra entering her and the nightmares suddenly stopped. Till now, she could still feel the spark of chakra lingering on her forehead. The chakra . . . It had sent a jolt into her mind, stopping all her nightmares. She knew what element it was. Lightning.

She knew Uchiha Sasuke has a lightning based chakra. Was he the one that stopped her nightmares? If so, she made a mental note to thank him again. Talking about the Uchiha, Hinata couldn't sense his presence nearby. Wondering if he had left, Hinata looked around seeking for the Uchiha, but he was nowhere in sight.

"The young man has left." The old woman suddenly appeared startling her in the process. "If he is who you are searching for."

"Oh." Hinata replied. She wasn't really surprised. After all, Sasuke had no reason to stay with her. He could leave anytime he wanted to. Though it would be nice to have a familiar figure as a company . . .

Hinata shook her head. No, she must not depend on anyone. She must deal with this situation alone. She can't afford to drag anyone else into her situation. It would be unfair to them . . .

This reminded her, she must leave this hut the moment she fully recovers. Staying here for a long period of time would jeopardize this old lady's safety. She was pretty sure that shinobis from Hidden Rain are still looking for her, and by now the Hyuuga clan would have received the news about her disappearance and they would be looking for her as well. She is a target. People are after her, which means she couldn't afford to stay at one place for a long period of time.

"Soup?" The old lady snapped her out of her thoughts. "It'll make you feel better."

Hinata blinked and smiled shyly. "T-Thank you."

The old lady smiled back and watched her silently as she drank the soup. Hinata fidgeted nervously under the old lady's gaze. Hinata wasn't wary of her. She had taken care of her injuries and Hinata felt that this old lady can be trusted, but her white eyes . . . it reminded her greatly of her clan and it was making her shudder. No matter how Hinata looked at it, those eyes . . . They were familiar.

"May I know your name?" Hinata started a conversation and the old lady merely smiled as she took the now empty bowl from Hinata's hand.

"My name does not matter for now. One day you will know." She answered with a wry grin and disappeared into the kitchen.

Hinata was confused, but she didn't get to ask the old lady again because she didn't appear for the rest of the day. The next day, Hinata felt fresh and her body was no longer aching. Her wounds had also mostly closed up. She knew that she was fit to travel again. As if knowing her intentions, the old lady appeared again with a number of fresh clothes.

"Take this. You need spare clothes if you are going to travel." The old lady handed her over the clothes. "Also, it's better to bring with you some supplies as well."

"Thank you." Hinata thanked her sincerely as she took the fresh clothes and the supplies the old lady had given her.

"Be careful out there. Keep your eyes open." The old lady warned before taking Hinata's hands and clasped it gently yet firmly and smiled. "But I believe that fate is in your favour. Fate will bring him to you. Good luck, Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata blinked. Fate? Him? "W-What do you mean?"

"You'll see." The old woman smiled, let go of Hinata's hands and entered her small hut again, leaving a confused Hinata outside.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

The thing about travelling alone was that after a while, you wouldn't have any idea of where to go anymore. This was what Sasuke felt. After leaving the old lady's hut, he headed back to the town to top up his supplies. He ended up spending the night at the inn which to his relief had some spare rooms left and the innkeeper no longer tried to flirt with him. It was quite surprising though that she just gave him a room without trying to get him to bed with her. He wondered why. Maybe after seeing him carrying the Hyuuga around, she might think that he was taken. Well, that's a relief. Maybe the Hyuuga could really be useful. Well too bad, he had already left her behind.

When morning arrived, Sasuke had no idea where else to go. He had been traveling for two years but till now he still had no fixed destination in mind. All this while, he had gone to random villages hoping to find something; a reason, a purpose, something, someone or whatever, but so far no. No matter where he had gone, Sasuke still hadn't found that one reason to live for.

Sighing, Sasuke decided to just go wherever his legs take him, as he had always done. With no destination in mind, Sasuke began walking his mind in a daze. It was to his utmost horror when he found himself outside the old lady's hut again.

"What the . . ." Sasuke mumbled to himself. Unconsciously, his legs had brought him here. Before anyone else could see him, the old lady especially, Sasuke quickly turned around and walked away, but it seemed that luck wasn't on his side today. Yet again, he couldn't sense her presence.

"You came back?" The old lady's familiar voice echoed into his ears. Sasuke turned around out of courtesy, but he showed no signs of answering. The old lady merely stared at him, and then she smiled. "You just missed her though. She left about an hour ago."

"Ah." The Uchiha murmured. "I'm not looking for her."

"Really?" The old lady grinned.

"Yea. Sorry for intruding." He answered monotonously and turned to leave again.

"You will find her, because it is fate." The old lady suddenly said.

Sasuke turned to face her wanting to tell her that he wasn't here for the Hyuuga. Heck, he wasn't even looking for her. His legs just brought him here, and her talk about fate was just nonsensical. However, before he could say anything, a sudden gust of wind blew onto him and dust entered his eyes, forcing him to close his eyes. When the wind finally stopped, Sasuke opened his eyes again, but he was all alone.

The old lady was already gone.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

He would like to believe that the old lady was just a figment of his imagination, but he knew the two days he spent in her hut was real. However, why couldn't he sense her? And why does she always vanish all of the sudden? Who is she?

Sasuke was left with these questions the moment he left the hut again, but he knew he wouldn't be getting any answers, not anytime soon. The old lady had suddenly disappeared and he even checked the hut, but it was empty. The hut even looked different; the insides were dustier as if no one had lived there before. It was as if the old lady was _never_ there. Sasuke wondered if he should freak out. He was lost in his thought as he walked, completely oblivious to his surroundings until he heard a soft squeak.

He had bumped into someone.

Lowering his gaze, his eyes met with pale lavender ones and his eyes widened. Hyuuga Hinata, the same Hyuuga he had helped.

He stared at her, and she stared back, her eyes widening as well when she realized who she had bumped into. Both had no idea why, but all of the sudden, they recalled the old lady's words.

"_Fate will bring him to you."_

"_You will find her because it is fate."_

Both wondered. Was this pure coincidence?

Or was this really . . . Fate?


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you OPrincess ShinigamiO, poprockwitch, iritjana, darknessunbidden, tattoo26, paras, SasuHina, Laura, Itachigurls93, Guest, RoO'wz, RenjiRulez5986, pinksamurai1014, Francis, kim0chi-ii, Aoi Kitsune12, MewBladeXxX, jassie, Lord Kami, SuperSillyFoxx, shizuka, byron the fist, Midnight Goddess, Xx Jas Rey xX, nottrustworthy, zero, Saki-Hime, crazyquilt, damnheart o3, snowkatl, Inspirational Stars, Dark Amy Chan, jecka hime22, hpnarutardsjedipirate1234, ProjXPsyClone, Umnia, hateme101, Dbzgirl1011, mikareika, Guest, Jao Jao, Atalkaz, Idiotwhocantthinkofapenname, alwaysNaruhina for your reviews

**A/N:** Umm yea, hello. Sorry again. Finals are coming. Assignments are piling. Time to update greatly reduced. Hahaha . . . Well anyway, I'm not rushing the relationship between Sasuke and Hinata so sorry for the slow development? :X

I should be happy that I'm finally going to see T.M Revolution live tomorrow but I feel so lethargic right now. Lol. Anyway, enjoy . . . Hope it's okay. m( _ _ )m

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 4**

_by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

Inuzuka Kiba closed his eyes as the sun glared directly at him. The heat was getting on his nerves and he wondered why Konoha suddenly felt so hot. Perhaps two weeks of mission in the cold Snow Country had dampened his ability to adjust to the sudden heat. He heaved out a sigh. Something cold would be nice right now . . . like Hinata's trademark milkshake.

His expression changed as he thought about the girl. Hinata. He wondered how she was doing right now. Ever since she was sent away to the Rain Village, he never heard from her ever again. He had wrote countless of letters to her, even Shino and Kurenai-sensei had as well, but there was never any response. It was as if she was barred from communicating with any of them, and it pissed him off.

It already pissed him off that she was married off to some bastard. Like many, he tried to stop it from happening, but the Hyuuga clan always managed to get their way. It annoyed him greatly how the clan used her as some sort of tool in order to achieve political ties with some village. Hinata wasn't a tool. Hinata was Hinata, his teammate, his friend . . . someone who has become like a dear sister to him, and she was sent away just like that without even getting the chance to say goodbye.

Kiba clenched his fists. He had many times annoyed Naruto to send him to a mission to the Hidden Rain with the hidden motive of wanting to see how Hinata was doing, but there were never any missions to that said village. It was as if Amegakure was closed to the outside world, to Konoha especially.

"Tch, so much of political ties." Kiba grumbled to himself and a bark was heard. The dog lover turned to his beloved companion and grinned. "You agree with me, eh Akamaru?"

"Woof!"

"I know Akamaru. I miss Hinata too. I wish I can bring her back you know. It is just so different without her . . . " Kiba uttered sadly. "It is like the sun is gone."

"Our sun is gone," A voice added.

Kiba didn't bother to look up because he knew who it was. They had been friends for so long after all, the three of them, four if you included Akamaru.

"When did you get back?" Kiba asked his mysterious friend.

"About an hour ago." Shino answered. "You?"

"Around that time, and it is so hot here!" Kiba whined.

"Hinata's milkshake would be nice." Shino mumbled adjusting his glasses.

"Funny, I thought the same thing just now." Kiba smiled sadly.

Shino said nothing as he leant against the tree, seemingly deep in thought. When Hinata was still around, she would always make cold milkshakes for them during hot weather like this. Kiba absolutely loved her milkshake, and so did he, even though he was less open about it. Funny, at that time, they thought nothing will change, that no one will leave, that they, Team 8, will forever stay together in Konoha as a team.

But they were wrong.

"I wonder how she is doing . . ." Kiba mumbled.

"Hinata is a strong woman. She'll be fine."

"I know." Kiba continued. "It's just that, she doesn't deserve that kind of treatment you know? But those bastard elders . . ."

Shino said nothing as his friend continued to ramble on. "We need to help her. We need to get her out from there."

"What?" Shino stared at him. "Kidnap her from her husband?"

"That's exactly what we should do!" Kiba exclaimed. "Come on Shino! Only you will support me in this one. Naruto would, if he wasn't the Hokage yet, but he has bigger issues to settle now. We must help her, Shino. As her team, that's the least we can do. Get her out from there."

"You're right. We should." Shino straightaway said without even thinking about it.

"Seriously?" Kiba blinked. "And here I thought you will lean somewhere in a dark corner full of bugs to think about it."

"Hinata is a special friend, a treasured teammate. I don't have to think twice when she is involved."

"That's the way!" Kiba grinned. "Come on Shino, let's get her out of that damn village now!"

"Interesting, but unfortunately I can't let you that." A voice was heard from behind them.

Kiba and Shino turned around and were greeted by the familiar smile. Kiba stepped forward angrily. "You can't stop us, Sai! We're going to get Hinata out of there no matter what!"

"Do not misunderstand. I do not want to stop you. In fact, I would even like to join you to get her out from there, but unfortunately that's impossible now. This is also the reason why Naruto would like to see both of you right now."

"What do you mean it is impossible? Nothing is impossible!" Kiba argued.

Sai sighed. "You can't save her if she's not there."

"Huh?" Kiba and Akamaru both blinked while Shino just stared blankly at Sai.

"Hinata-san is no longer in Amegakure." Sai explained. "Hinata-san . . . She has run away."

**xXXxXXxXXx**

Fate wasn't a concept she was not familiar with. Throughout her life as a Hyuuga, she had always believed that everything that happened was due to fate. She was brought up that way. Fate was the reason for deaths, for separations, for being the way you are. Fate determines everything, as many Hyuugas had said. However, Hinata despised fate. After all, fate was the one that caused her to be in this situation. Fate had separated her from her loved ones, forced her to marry a man she didn't even love and because of fate, she was now running away, trying to escape from the nightmarish hell fate had brought her into.

She had lost faith in fate actually. However, when the old lady said that fate was on her side because fate would bring him to her, she was confused. Who was _him_? Honestly, Hinata had doubts believing in those words, hence she continued on with her journey believing that fate wasn't on her side, that fate wouldn't bring anyone to her. She was alone now. She had to accept that. So, she continued on walking lost in her own thoughts and completely unaware of her surroundings, until she bumped into something hard. Being her timid self, she squeaked, her heart thumping wildly for she feared she had been caught, but when she looked up, she saw those intense obsidian eyes and her eyes immediately widened while her pale cheeks colored.

Uchiha Sasuke. He was standing right in front of her and glaring at her, yet she could tell that he was somewhat surprised as well from the way his eyes widened slightly. However, it was only for a short while before his face turned impassive once again and he opted to glare at her instead. She was supposed to be afraid by his intimidating eyes, but she didn't look away. Instead, she chose to look at him, deep into his eyes, her cheeks turning redder when she felt his gaze piercing through her.

"H-Hi." Hinata meekly greeted

The Uchiha merely raised his eyebrows and grunted before walking passed her saying nothing else. Hinata blinked, part of her half expected that reaction. This was Uchiha Sasuke after all. One thing she knew about him despite the fact they barely interacted before was that he is definitely not sociable, and it seems like that has not changed. The other part of her also knows that she should just leave him alone and forget this encounter because Uchiha Sasuke hates being disturbed. However, the old lady's words about fate had got her curious, so Hinata did something she didn't expect she would do. She turned around and followed him, her footsteps soft where she silently hoped that he wouldn't notice.

But this is Uchiha Sasuke after all.

The old woman's words did get to him. The old lady did specifically said that he will find her because it is fate and he did, and that freaked him out. He was surprised, but he didn't show it. When she greeted him, he just glared at her, grunted and walked away. He had nothing to do with the girl. Even if fate did make them bumped into each other, he had no reason to associate himself with her. No reason at all. He should just leave her alone . . . but that seemed impossible.

"Why are you following me?" He turned and glared at her.

"I-I'm not following you." She softly retorted. "I just happened to be going the same way . . ."

Sasuke grimaced, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He simply turned and continued walking, not bothering to tell her off or argue with her because he wasn't in the mood. He walked the rocky road towards the forest, with the timid Hyuuga not far behind. If anyone were to see them, many would have mistaken them to be travelling together, but that wasn't the case. They were just going the same way, or at least that was what she said.

He headed towards the forest, secretly hoping that the Hyuuga would go another way. He really believed that she would prefer to stay in some inn with proper beds than to stay the night in some forest, but he was wrong. She went into the forest like him, and when he set up camp, she did too. Sasuke grimaced.

"Don't set up camp here. Go somewhere else." He uttered, annoyed.

Hinata blinked, unfazed by his rudeness. She smiled thinly. "I-I don't think this area has your name on it, Uchiha-san, so I highly believe that I can set up camp here. Also, it is convenient, since it's near the river." She argued, much to his surprise. So, she did grow a backbone, huh? He remembered her to be more timid the last time.

"Besides, I don't really have anywhere to go . . ." She then mumbled to herself. It was barely audible, said in a soft whisper as though to remind herself of something, but he heard it all right. He showed no reaction to it even though somewhere within he wondered what had happened to her. She was an heiress, her life was practically great, well at least, greater than his, so why was she here now with nowhere to go? Something must have happened. Well, it was none of his business. He had to keep telling himself that. He shouldn't care, not at all.

He glared at her again, and she flinched slightly but she never once looked away. In fact, she glared back as if trying to challenge him, or dare him even, that whatever he does, she won't move away from this spot. She wasn't really doing a good job in trying to look intimidating though. In fact, her threatening expression actually looked cute . . . and Sasuke's eyes widened, horrified at what he just thought.

He wondered what the hell was wrong with him. First, he found her attractive when she first appeared right in front of him badly injured. Now, he found her supposedly threatening face cute? Sasuke sighed. Maybe he was indeed getting soft . . . or maybe just deprived.

"Whatever. Just don't get in my way," He ended up saying and her face brightened up as if he had just granted her new life, something which caught him off guard. She smiled thankfully and immediately unpacked her things to set up her own individual camp, and Sasuke unconsciously found himself watching.

He never thought that a simple and cold statement like that could make someone smiled so brightly.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

He had told her not to get in his way, and she did just that. Even though they had set up camp at the same area, there was an invisible barrier between them. They didn't talk to each other. They were completely ignoring the presence of the other, or at least he tried to as Sasuke found himself stealing glimpses of her much to his confusion. She was currently sitting near the river bank, attempting to catch some fish with her own-made rod and he silently observed. She seemed to be having troubles.

"That is not how you fish." He found himself saying mentally cursing himself for opening his mouth. Seriously, he should just leave her alone, but why couldn't he do something as simple as that?

Hinata turned around and faced him, a blush slowly forming on her cheeks. "I-Is it?"

"No, you are holding the rod wrong." Sasuke deadpanned.

"A-Ah." Hinata bit her lips nervously as she tried to adjust her angle but her position only turned more awkward.

Sasuke sighed. This woman seems hopeless. "You never fished before, haven't you?"

Hinata meekly shook her head. Well, Sasuke was right. She had never tried to find food on her own before. When she was still a kunoichi for Konoha on a mission, she always packed enough food that could last her for the entire mission, hence there was never any need to hunt. Also, Kiba and Shino would always do the hunting if she had a mission with them while she mostly did the preparing once the boys were done hunting. Well, she could always control the flow of the river since her chakra element was water, so she would be able to control the river flow and force the fishes to come out, but that would be cheating. To sum it up, Hinata never fished before. She never ever caught her own food before, even catching fish. She didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to bother the Uchiha with her lack of ability to hunt, but a fact is still a fact. Hinata has zero experience when it comes to fishing.

Judging from her current expression, he could tell that she has no idea how to fish. He had no idea why he did it as Sasuke suddenly found himself sitting beside her and took the rod she made away from her hands. He then swung it into the river and showed her.

"Don't use too much force. Try to reduce the pressure while you're holding your rod. Pressure will scare the fishes away." He said when he felt a bite from the rod and immediately swung it up, catching one fish. She looked focused and extremely fascinated as if he was doing a magic trick.

"Try it." Sasuke ordered, handing the rod back to her. "Remember, less force."

She nodded and focused on her task, using lesser force as Sasuke had instructed. Her eyes widened when she felt a bite, and she pulled up, successfully catching a fish in the process.

"I-I did it." She mumbled, somewhat surprised and her face brightened with a smile as she looked at the Uchiha. "T-Thank you, Uchiha-san!"

"Hn." He grunted and stood up, knowing she can do it herself now. He walked towards his side of the camp wondering why he just helped her when he specifically told her not to get in his way. His mind was telling him to just leave her alone, but his body seems to be doing the opposite. It was as if his body didn't want to leave her alone. Some part of him actually wanted to help. Again, Sasuke found himself staring at the Hyuuga. She has no trouble fishing now, but she looked so delicate . . . so . . .

Sasuke sighed. Maybe he was_ really_ deprived.

Annoyed by his current thoughts, Sasuke walked away from the campsite, going deeper into the forest to clear his mind. The Hyuuga, he wondered why he was even thinking about her. He didn't remember having some sort of connection or friendship with her, and yet here he was thinking about her and having this some sort of dilemma of wanting to leave her alone or not. How can someone as close to a stranger impact him like this?

Deep in his own thought, Sasuke was late to detect a rustling noise. By the time he realized, something was charging towards him and he barely evaded it due to the suddenness of the attack. Once he regained his composure, Sasuke looked around wondering what had attacked him. He heard a low and animalistic grunt and Sasuke cursed his luck.

A wild boar. A raging one in fact.

Sasuke hand's instinctively shifted to take his katana, only to realize that it wasn't there. He had left it back in camp. Great. Here he was trying to clear his mind, only to encounter a raging wild boar instead without any weapons with him. The wild boar charged towards him again and Sasuke had no choice but to evade again. Animals' strength is different from human ones. Getting hit by that charging raging creature can break his bones, or knock him out completely.

He could simply escape by leaping from trees to trees, but the boar seems disoriented and escaping might cause it to follow him and it'll end up finding the campsite which will create more problems. He had not much choice really. Sasuke knew he had to face it and subdue it, or sent it running towards the other direction of the forest because he was definitely not going to sleep peacefully at night later if he knew there was a crazy boar on the loose.

When the boar charged again, Sasuke activated his sharingan and stopped it with one of his bare hands causing his hand to bleed from the strong impact while his other hand aimed his chidori right in front if its face. Sasuke purposely didn't hit the boar. He didn't want to kill it. He just wanted to scare it off and once the spark of chidori hit the ground, it worked. The wild boar was startled that it ran towards the opposite direction, going further away from the campsite.

Once the boar was out of sight, Sasuke walked away as if nothing had happened. He didn't even care that his hand was bleeding. He was here to clear his mind, but ended up fighting a wild boar. Sasuke sighed. He sure has some amazing luck.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Hinata beamed as she gazed at the pile of fish she just caught. If Sasuke hadn't taught her the proper way of fishing, she doubted she would be able to catch this much. She was really thankful. Sasuke had told her coldly not to get into his way, but he ended up helping her again. The Uchiha still has the cold front, and she had to admit that it still frightened her slightly, but she could tell that despite his cold demeanor, Uchiha Sasuke was actually a gentle man inside. He just didn't like to show it.

She smiled at the thought as she prepared to cook the fishes. Placing them near the fireplace, she sat quietly and waited as the fishes slowly cooked. Bored, her eyes wandered around and she realized that Sasuke still hadn't returned. She knew he had left just now after helping her. She didn't ask where he was going because well, he did say not to get in his way and it was not like she had the right. After all, they weren't travelling together. He had no obligations to tell her where he was heading.

She couldn't help but to feel worried though. It was just her nature. That man had after all saved her life, thus she also felt indebted to him. Where would she be now if he hadn't find her and brought her to the old lady?

Speaking of the devil, the man she was thinking about finally returned looking grumpy as always. He said nothing as he immediately went for his bag pack looking for something. It was then Hinata noticed that one of his hands was bleeding.

"Y-You're injured, Uchiha-san!" She blurted out of worry.

"Hn." He merely grunted and reached out for some bandages.

"L-Let me help you." She offered as she searched for the medical supplies the old lady had given her.

"No, I can do it myself." Sasuke countered.

"L-Let me, please." She said and sat next to him.

"I said I can—"

"Please, Uchiha-san." She cut him off, her eyes staring straight into his as she took his bleeding hand. She was challenging him. He knew no matter how much he argued, she will not back down. Her eyes told him so. This Hyuuga may look like a meek creature, but she is definitely a stubborn one.

Sasuke sighed and relented to her stubbornness. Besides, her touching his hand feels nice. It was . . . warm. Sasuke immediately grimaced at the thought. He was beginning to believe that perhaps he was really deprived. He uttered nothing as Hinata tended to his wound. She tenderly rubbed some medical ointment onto his wound, making sure that no spot was left unattended.

"It's better to have someone to tend to you for this kind of injuries, U-Uchiha-san. Doing it yourself may miss out some spots and the wound may be infected after that. That won't be g-good." She softly murmured as she used a bandage to gently wrap his hand.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted not knowing what else to say. He ended up staring at her instead after that as she applied the finishing touches. She looked so calm yet sad at the same time. She was hiding something, he could see it from her eyes.

"All done!" She smiled still holding his hand. She quickly retracted her hand away with a blush on her face when she realized it. Saying nothing else, she bowed politely and went back to her side of the camp fidgeting nervously as she once again waited for the fish to cook.

Sasuke scratched his head. She had helped him tended his wound, so he should at least thank her right? But he was an Uchiha and Uchiha rarely thanked people. However, again, if he wanted to achieve peace, maybe he should start thanking people. Once again, he sighed. Seriously, how many times have he sighed already?

"Hyuuga . . ." he called out rather awkwardly. Hinata looked up, blushing again when she met his eyes. " . . . Thanks."

She blinked wondering if she had heard it right. Did the Uchiha just thank her? When her brain finally processed that he in fact did, her lips curved into a smile. "Y-You're welcome, Uchiha-san. You've helped me out as well, so t-thank you."

"Hn." He said nothing else.

"Would you like some fish?" She offered.

"No, it's fine." It just so happened that right after he uttered those words, his stomach just had to growl.

Hinata giggled much to his annoyance. How dare she laugh at him! No one has the right to laugh at an Uchiha! Irritated, he glared at her.

Noticing his glare, Hinata immediately stop, trying to hold back her giggles. Sasuke glared at her even more. Even though he was pissed off, she still had the courage to smile at him. This Hyuuga is really something.

"Y-You're hungry."

Duh. She was stating the obvious. Of course he was hungry! He had just spent the day fighting a boar because he was trying to clear his mind off her instead of finding food for himself. Obviously he would be hungry.

"I can find food for myself."

"B-But your hand is injured."

"It's only a cut."

"I-It's a deep cut."

"I don't need your pity."

"A-And I'm not giving you any." Hinata told him. "I just want to share food with a friend."

"Friend?" Sasuke smirked. "So you call anyone who is near stranger a friend, eh Hyuuga?"

"Technically, you're not really a stranger, right Uchiha-san?" She smiled.

Well, she was right. They were not strangers. They did know each other. They just never interacted until now. Sighing, Sasuke accepted her offer. One reason was because he didn't feel like arguing anymore. Another of course was because he was really hungry right now that having to search for food might just kill. He was exaggerating, but that was how hungry he was.

Hinata smiled seeing the Uchiha eating the fish she caught and sat down as well as both of them enjoyed the meal silently. She softly chewed and looked at the sky as the silence lingered. She didn't mind the silence. It was strangely comfortable.

"Did you add something to the fish?" Sasuke broke the silence.

Hinata blinked. "Y-Yea, I added some seasoning to it . . . The old lady gave it to me before I left. Thought it would give it more taste."

Sasuke stared at his half eaten fish. "It's nice."

He said nothing else and she didn't find any reason to respond. Hence, both of them continued to eat quietly. They didn't utter a single word after the meal as both of them straightaway prepare their individual areas to sleep on. No goodnights were said as each drifted to sleep. Once again, they were pretending like the other wasn't there, until a loud thunder was heard.

Both immediately bolted up, Hinata with a squeak and Sasuke looking impassive as always before looking at the woman who looked like she wanted to run far away right now. She was shivering. It was obviously from fear.

"Afraid of thunder?" He asked.

She looked down, embarrassed. "It's a c-childhood fear."

"Hn." He grunted, saying nothing else.

"You are not going to chide me?" She looked surprise.

"Everyone has their own fears. It can't be help." He simply said.

"Ah." Hinata smiled. Usually, many would have chided her. After all, how can a shinobi be afraid of thunder? It was pathetic. It simply showed how weak she was, but Hinata couldn't help it. It was a childhood fear, something she couldn't really control.

But Sasuke . . . He didn't insult her for her fears. He looked uninterested in fact, and she liked that. There was no trace of pity in his expression; neither did he look like he felt sorry for her. It made Hinata feels normal for once.

"W-What are you afraid of, U-Uchiha-san?" She suddenly asked before she could stop herself. The Uchiha straightaway glared at her and she flinched under his gaze. She should know better than to ask Uchiha Sasuke about something personal. "S-Sorry, forget that I ask."

He looked away and so did she and an awkward silence surrounded them.

"It looks like it's going to rain." Hinata broke the silence, staring at the darkened sky.

"So it seems."

"We should search for a shelter."

Sasuke stared at her. "We?"

"S-Sorry!" Hinata shook her hands nervously. "I-I mean, each of us should look for individual shelters."

She mentally hoped that Sasuke wasn't angered by her misusage of words, but to her surprise, Sasuke didn't look angry at all. His face was blank as always, but she saw it, that tint of amusement in his eyes. Hinata couldn't control her blush.

He was definitely amused. This Hyuuga was easily coerced to the point that it was entertaining. She was definitely one interesting creature. He had been travelling alone for so long that having a companion for one day made a huge difference. It felt different. It was. . . comforting. Maybe it wouldn't kill if he . . .

"Pack up." Sasuke suddenly told her, snapping her out from her daze.

"E-Eh?"

"Pack up Hyuuga. We have to search for shelter, unless you enjoy getting drenched in the rain."

"W-We?" Hinata blinked.

"Are you coming or not?" He scowled.

Hinata blinked again. Was this an offer? Shaking her head to snap her out of it, Hinata quickly packed her things. "Y-Yes I'm coming!"

"Then hurry up. If you're slow, I'll leave you behind." Sasuke said and began to walk.

"Y-Yes!" Hinata answered, packing the last of her things and quickly rushed to catch up to him. She quietly followed behind while he led the way. He took a quick glance and saw how contented she looked. Seriously, how can a simple offer make someone . . . happy?

Honestly, he had no idea why he offered her to follow him in the first place, but he couldn't take back his words now. A storm was coming and they need to find shelter. Maybe his gentle side just can't leave her alone. To him, she was like a lost puppy without an owner. Now that he had allowed her to find shelter with him, like it or not, Sasuke knew he would be stuck with her for a while.

Strangely though, he didn't seem to mind it one bit.


	5. Chapter 5

Tthank you for all your reviews. Can't mention every of you here. I'm rushing. Promise I'll do so in the next chapter.

**A/N: **My finals are coming, so no updates for the next two or three weeks. Or forever if I screw up damn badly.

Thank you MewBladeXxX for beta-ing.

**I do not own Naruto**

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 5**

_by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

The office was quiet as the Hokage pushed aside his paperwork unable to concentrate any further. His gaze lingered outside, staring at the clear blue sky of Konoha. It was so peaceful. The village was in peace, but he, Uzumaki Naruto, wasn't. His blue eyes shimmered with a mixture of sadness and pain as he thought about the girl.

Hyuuga Hinata. What has she done to deserve this? She was one of the kindest and gentlest girls he had ever known. Her smile was always warm and it never failed to brighten everyone's day. Her presence was comforting, soothing even, and it was hard not to like her. Fair enough, he did find her weird the first time. Her stuttering and constant fainting spells in front of him was at first strange. However, as time passed, Naruto realized there was another side of Hinata. Her quiet determination, her meek stubbornness and her desire to get stronger. He had seen it and he admired her for that. His lips curved into a sad smile as he remembered her beautiful qualities . . . her traits . . . her features . . . and the more he thought about her, Naruto could not deny the pain he felt deep within.

_Hinata._

She was the first girl to actually admire and accept him when everyone else simply shunned him. Even though she was too shy to speak to him, when he found out few years ago, he felt warm.

She was the girl who blushed just at the sight of him. She was the girl who went to his aid when he nearly got killed by Pein, and she was the girl who confessed to him at that very moment, who was willing to die to protect him.

She was the girl, the first girl, who loved him.

And he had let her down when she needed him the most.

"Hinata . . ." Naruto murmured clenching his fists as guilt filled his heart.

He slammed his hand onto his table in frustration. He regretted not saying it, not trying hard enough to stop it, but most of all, not telling her when he had the chance. He was such a fool. How could he think that he had time? How could he believe that she could wait? How could he not notice the hope in her eyes whenever she approached him? How could he be such a fool?

"Naruto . . ." A voice snapped him out his thoughts. Recognizing the voice, Naruto immediately looked up, his depressed look vanishing as his cheery façade came to be.

"Sakura-chan!" he smiled. "Didn't realize that you entered!"

"Yeah . . ." the pink haired medic looked at him worriedly. "You were hitting the desk repeatedly."

Naruto grinned widely. "Heh! Sorry, paperwork can be very frustrating. So what's up? If you are here to ask me if Sasuke had sent any letter, the answer is still no. That bastard still has yet to contact me at all!"

"It's not that . . . It's not about Sasuke-kun."

Naruto looked mildly surprised before he grinned once more. "Then what's up?"

"I heard about the letter . . . about Hinata." Sakura mumbled, averting her gaze away from him. She was afraid to see how he would react. His reaction would tell her that his feelings were changing, and she had no idea how to deal with that. When she finally found the courage to look into his eyes, to her surprise, he was grinning, like how her Naruto always would.

"Eh? So you heard eh? Man, news spreads fast, even though the only ones that received the letter were me and the Hyuuga clan!" Naruto rambled on and on, pretending to be like himself – aloof, cheeky and happy. However, Sakura knew that Naruto was lying. He was hiding his emotions.

"Are you all right?" Sakura asked, unfazed by the façade Naruto was putting on.

The Hokage blinked before grinning widely once again. "Eh, what are you talking about Sakura-chan? You are worried about me? Wow! Did you hit your head or something?" He joked.

"I'm serious, Naruto." Sakura grimaced, looking straight into his eyes now and Naruto's grin immediately disappeared.

He didn't avert his gaze and stared at her just like how she was staring at him. Naruto smiled sadly. "Do you think I'm all right, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's eyes widened and looked down dejectedly. What a foolish question. Of course he was not all right. How could he be when the girl he is actually starting to notice and perhaps beginning to harbor feelings for is in danger?

"You know something, Sakura-chan? Every single day, I kept thinking, why didn't I say it on time? And I realized that somewhere deep inside, I was still waiting for you. I was hoping for a chance, that maybe after the war, you could finally see me more than a friend, so I waited and waited, at the expense of her." Naruto smiled weakly. "Now when I think about it, I realize how foolish I am, Sakura-chan! I should know better that your heart only yearns for Sasuke. Maybe, if I had just accepted that fact earlier, then maybe she wouldn't . . . Maybe Hinata wouldn't . . ."

Sakura gazed at the Hokage, her eyes pained as she heard those words. Naruto was blaming her. No, he was mostly blaming himself, but she was partly at fault as well. She knew. If only she hadn't lead him on. If only she could understand her own emotions. Sakura knew she was to be blamed as well.

She had always known that Naruto loved her. Everyone did. However, her heart only belonged to one. Uchiha Sasuke. What started off as a childish crush blossomed into love without her realizing it. Yet Sasuke was always the reason for her heartache while Naruto was always there to comfort her. When Sasuke left Konoha for revenge, she was broken, and Naruto promised to bring him back. Their friendship grew and the two of them had been through so much together that they could understand each other very well. Naruto was her best friend, her confidante, her savior . . . and he always kept his word.

Three years ago, Naruto did bring Sasuke back after the war. The blonde was grinning. The Uchiha was reluctant, and she . . . she was happy. Sasuke was back in Konoha and she could not describe her immense relief . . . her joy. Sasuke was back. Her Sasuke was back. She beamed and she rushed to greet them, her emerald eyes shimmering as she looked at the Uchiha, but Sasuke never greeted back. He didn't smile either. He just walked off, and Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders as a comforting gesture, telling her to give him time. Sakura understood. She tried not to rush things. Occasionally, she would visit him at his compound to see how he was doing, but he never once spoke to her. His eyes were always staring into blank space and she wondered what he was always thinking about.

Months passed, and Sasuke was still cold and distant, but Naruto kept saying to give him time for him to adjust to Konoha again. Naruto also mentioned that she shouldn't take it too personally because Sasuke was ignoring everyone. Even though hurt at how Sasuke was ignoring her, Sakura listened again. She gave the Uchiha the space he needed and silently supported him from the sidelines during his trial. After about two months of intense trial, the Allied Nations finally agreed to let the Uchiha off.

She was elated. Sasuke was free. He could reside in Konoha again without constraints. He would then open up to others again. It would take time, but she was convinced that he would. She was glad because things would finally return to normal. Team Seven would be back together again. Everything would be like how it used to . . . until Naruto broke the news to her.

"Sasuke left." Naruto told her, his expression grim and his eyes downcast

Sakura stared at the blonde, shocked. "W-What?"

"He left . . . He wanted to go on a journey . . . to search for peace."

"B-But he could find his peace here! We could give him his peace!" Sakura countered, tears already threatening to fall from her eyes.

"He hates this village, Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured, "After all that had happened to him . . . I can't blame him for hating this village . . . I can't stop him from leaving to seek his own happiness . . ."

"But he didn't say goodbye." Sakura sobbed. "I didn't get to say goodbye."

"I'm sorry." Naruto said, pulling the medic closer, allowing her to cry on his shoulders.

Sasuke left again and she was devastated. For a few months, she was upset, but in that few months, Naruto was always there to comfort her. In that few months, she didn't realize that whenever Naruto comforted her, a timid girl would always watch from a far with a sad smile on her face. Perhaps she did notice, but she never thought much about it. She knew Hinata liked Naruto. Everyone did. However, at that time, Sakura thought she deserved Naruto's comfort because she was currently hurting. She knew it was selfish of her, but at the same time, she thought that Hinata should know that even though Naruto was comforting her, they were just friends and she shouldn't be jealous. However, at that time, she didn't know that Naruto was having troubles of his own. She didn't know that seeking solace from Naruto was making him confused, preventing him from making an important decision that involved Hinata.

She only realized it when a month later, Hinata was gone – sent away to the Hidden Rain for a political marriage and was never heard from again, and Naruto suddenly became like what he was now – a happy façade up front, but deep within, he was filled with regret, guilt and pain.

Now it had been two years since Sasuke left and a year since Hinata was married off. Her friendship with Naruto was affected after that because even though Naruto pretended to be fine, she knew he wasn't and even though Sakura tried not to think about it, she still felt guilty because if only she hadn't used Naruto for comfort a year ago, then maybe he wouldn't be confused. Maybe, he would be able to answer Hinata and then maybe she would still be here. . .

And maybe then, Naruto wouldn't be in pain.

Sakura clenched her fist. "Naruto, I-I—"

Her words were cut off when the door suddenly swung open and before she could comprehend what had happened, Naruto was sent flying to the other side of the office as he was caught off guard.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted with worry before preparing to attack the assailant only to realize that the one who punched Naruto was an infuriated Kiba with a calm Shino behind him. Sai, who was taking his time to return to the office, blinked when he saw the situation in front of him. He didn't have the chance to ask what happened as Kiba immediately lunged forward and grabbed Naruto by the collar.

"Kiba! What are you doing?" Sakura tried to stop the raging brunette, but to no avail. Sai grabbed her arm and she stared at him, confused.

"Sai?"

"We should let them talk." Sai told her and Sakura understood. Reluctantly, she followed Sai out of the office and once the door was shut, Kiba wasted no time to let his anger be heard.

"You moron!" Kiba snarled at the current leader, gripping his collar harder. "For the record, I blame you for this! If you are actually man enough to give her an answer, this wouldn't have happened! Hinata wouldn't be a fugitive right now! You were the only one among us that could have stopped it! You are the Hokage! If you had just said yes, the elders would have backed down because it would be an honor for the strongest shinobi in Konoha to be part of one's family! If you had just said yes . . . "

Kiba was out of breath by the time he ended his sentence, but he didn't care. Silence surrounded the room as the tension grew thicker. Kiba was still gripping his collar, not caring that he was hurting the Hokage. He was angry, frustrated, perhaps raging in fact, knowing that Hinata was in danger somewhere out there running for her life and this could have all been prevented if Naruto did the only thing no one else in this village had the rank could.

The silence became unbearable until a bitter laughter was heard. Kiba frowned and stared at the Hokage who was laughing, but with a dejected look on his face.

"I deserve the punch, Kiba." Naruto murmured sadly. "I deserve it a lot. I was a moron. I thought I had time. I thought she could wait, but time wasn't on her side. Not a single day has passed where I haven't lived with guilt and regret. Every single day, I wished I could just turn back time and told her yes, then all this wouldn't be happening. Hinata would still be here. She wouldn't have to suffer there. She wouldn't have to run away. She would be blushing . . . laughing . . . smiling . . . She would be my . . . wife ."

The room fell into total silence again as they could obviously see the anguish in Naruto's eyes. He was regretting it, and it was eating him inside out.

"Kiba, that's enough. Let him go." Shino finally said. "You can see that he is suffering as well like all of us, or maybe even more."

Still frowning, Kiba reluctantly let go of Naruto's collar. "So, what do you need us for?"

Naruto regained his balance and adjusted his collar, his face serious now. "We need to find Hinata and you two are the only ones who can do it without evoking much suspicion."

"Without evoking suspicion? We are her teammates. If we leave the village, shouldn't they be more suspicious?" Shino asked.

"True enough, but I happened to have a mission that requires two trackers. That mission will be the 'reason' for you leaving this village, but in reality, your real mission is to find Hinata. Both of you know her the best after working with her for so long. I could ask Neji, but the Hyuuga clan is watching his movements closely and we can't risk having them finding Hinata first. Kami knows what will happen if they do."

The last sentence was murmured softly but all of them heard it and all of them understood. The Hyuuga clan could be rather unforgiving, which meant Hinata's life could be at stake here.

"Where should we start?" Kiba asked.

"She ran away from the Rain Village. It's been approximately been around a week or so. She can't have gotten very far. The surrounding small villages and the forests will be a good start."

"What should we do if we find her?" Shino questioned. "For obvious reasons, we can't bring her back to Konoha."

"I haven't thought about that." Naruto admitted.

"Seriously?!" Kiba scoffed.

"It doesn't matter! What matters is that we need to find her first because Hidden Rain or the Hyuuga Clan do. As long as she is in our hands, we can protect her!" Naruto countered.

"You are right." Shino said. "We'll be on our way then."

Naruto looked relieved. "Do you need more people?"

"No." Kiba immediately told him. "Shino, Akamaru and I should be enough. We know Hinata best after all."

"Kiba. Shino. Please find her." He sounded like he was begging and the duo turned to face the Hokage again.

"You don't have to tell us. Even if you don't ask us to do this, we definitely will! Because Hinata . . ."

". . . is our special friend." Shino added this time. "Our very precious friend."

With those words said, Kiba and Shino left the room to immediately start the mission, leaving Naruto alone in the office again, wishing that this would be a success because they were right. Just like them, Hinata is a precious friend to him.

Or maybe even more.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

It was overwhelmingly quiet as Sasuke led the way while Hinata timidly followed behind. The sky was getting darker, and Hinata wondered if they could find one of time. She had a feeling that both of them might get drenched. All of a sudden, Sasuke stopped and Hinata nearly would have hit his back if she wasn't alert. She blinked as the Uchiha stared at the sky, seemingly in thought. He then suddenly turned and glared at her, causing her to flinch.

"You can use your Byakugan to find the nearest shelter, right?"

Hinata blinked. Why didn't she think of that before? She mentally cursed herself for being oblivious of her own ability. Without wasting any more time, she activated her Byakugan, searching for the nearest shelter.

"T-There's a cave about 200m north from here." She murmured. "I-If you don't mind."

"Why would I mind?"

"You could be claustrophobic." She played with her fingers.

He glared at her. He actually felt insulted. "I'm not."

"N-No!" She waved her hands nervously. "S-Sorry, Uchiha-san! I didn't mean to insult you. I-It's just that, I don't know you very well, so I wanted to be sure. I-I don't want to bring you to a place you don't like. S-Sorry. "

She was repeatedly apologizing and he had no idea whether he should be annoyed or amused. It was obvious that she was easily intimidated by him which made it even more interesting. Sasuke sighed. Never once had he seen someone who apologized that much.

"Are you?" He cut off her stuttering apologies.

"E-Eh?"

"Are you claustrophobic?" He asked and she meekly shook her head.

"Hn. Then let's go." He said and started walking again saying nothing else.

Again, Hinata followed quietly behind him as they made their way to the cave. While on the way, Hinata occasionally bent down and picked up some wood. Of course, this action didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. He ignored it and said nothing at first. However, when she continued to pick up wood and the amount she was carrying was nearly covering her entire face, he stopped again. This time though, she managed to stop without hitting him even though her sight was blocked by the wood.

"U-Uchiha-san?" She peek from the side, wondering why he stopped. The storm was coming soon. She could feel it, thus she rather be in the shelter as soon as possible.

"What are you doing?" The Uchiha asked her. She gave him a confused look and Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh again. "The wood."

"A-Ah! It might be cold later right? So I thought it would be convenient to collect wood now so that we create a fireplace once we're in the shelter." She timidly told him. "I-I mean, the storm is coming soon so we might not have the time to find wood later."

Saying nothing, he merely grunted and took half of the wood from her hand and carried it himself. She mumbled a soft thank you and they continued walking again, increasing their pace this time as both could sense that the rain would fall soon and neither wanted to be caught in it. However, luck wasn't on their side as before they could reach the cave, the storm raged and the downpour began.

Both of them started running trying to fight the strong wind blowing their direction. By the time, they reached the cave however; both Sasuke and Hinata were completely drenched. Placing the wood onto the ground, Hinata took a deep breath while Sasuke wasted no time to undress his top. Realizing what the Uchiha was doing, her face turned bright red. Sasuke was changing! In front of her! Due to nervousness, she turned away a little bit too quickly causing her to stumble over the woods she had placed on the ground. She managed to regain her balance on time, but Sasuke had already seen her flustered reactions and he looked amused.

His eyebrows rose as the Hyuuga blushed heavily and she seemed to be looking at everywhere but him. She was definitely avoiding eye contact and he wondered what she was getting flustered about. It was only when he was rummaging his bag for a new set of clothes did he realize why. She was embarrassed to see him changing. While nearly all other girls swooned if they saw his half-naked body, this Hyuuga wanted to run away just at the sight of it. Her reaction was definitely different from most. He had no idea how to react to that. It was rather . . . refreshing, he must say.

Not wanting to embarrass her further, Sasuke quickly put on his new set of clothes before staring at the girl who was still averting her gaze away from him. He realized that she was soaked to the skin, but it definitely did justice to her body. Sasuke found himself staring at how her soaked outfit portrayed her curves perfectly giving him a very nice view. His eyes trailed upwards from her round curvy bottom to her very developed assets.

_Definitely tempting._

His eyes widened at what he had just thought. Was he actually checking the Hyuuga out? God, he was most definitely extremely deprived. Thank goodness she wasn't looking at him. Or he may be accused to be some pervert.

He heaved out a sigh and looked away from her, not wanting to be more tempted than he already had. Once he was sure that he had regained his control, he broke the silence, gaining her immediate attention.

"You should change as well." He murmured nonchalantly. "Or you'll get a cold."

Hinata blinked and eyed herself. Noticing her dripping wet clothes, she blushed again and gaped. "U-Umm, change where?"

"Well, do you want to change outside in the rain?" Sasuke told her sarcastically.

"Well n-no," she fidgeted nervously, "B-But . . ."

"I'm not going to take a peek. I have better things to do."

"R-Really?"

"If it makes you feel better, I'll close my eyes." He mumbled, slightly annoyed

She immediately beamed as though he had just given her an amazing gift. "T-Thank you Uchiha-san! N-Now can you turn around and close your eyes? I'll tell you when I'm done."

Sasuke sighed, but did what he was told anyway. He wondered why he was even doing this. Oh right, because he had offered her to come with him to find shelter and now he was stuck with an easily flustered woman in a cave. He had no idea whether it was good or bad. Well, at least one thing he could be really sure of was that she would definitely not jump on him. She nearly fainted seeing his half naked body, hence he was extremely sure she wouldn't have the courage to jump on him like most females. Also, for the fact that she is vehement in making sure that he didn't watch her change showed how important modesty is to her. He had been travelling alone long enough to come to a conclusion that many girls he encountered would be more than willing to expose their bodies to him, but Hinata on the other hand would do whatever it takes to hide hers. . . Maybe that was why he was still tolerating her? Because she was well . . . different?

"I-I'm done!" Her soft voice snapped him out of his thought.

Opening his eyes, he didn't spare her a glance as stared at the weather outside. The storm was still raging and Sasuke knew that they wouldn't be getting out from this cave anytime soon. It was also getting chilly. Without speaking a word, he picked up some of the wood to start the fire. Both of them would need it to keep them warm for the night. The storm was relentless after all.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Hinata asked

"No. Just sit down and keep quiet."

His tone was rather cold and rude, but Hinata listened anyway. She kept quiet and once he lit up the fire, her face brightened up as she scooted nearer towards it to receive its warmth.

"T-Thank you U-Uchiha-san."

"Hn."

A comfortable silence enveloped them as Hinata gazed at the fire with a smile while Sasuke just sat still with his eyes closed. These few days had been rather surprising. She didn't expect to be stuck with Uchiha Sasuke of all people, but here she was. She glanced at him and noticed that he still looked intimidating, but she didn't feel terrified now. He may not be as kind and gentle as others, but he did show her kindness in his own unique way. In fact, after spending time with him, Hinata felt bad for having those negative impressions about him before. Uchiha Sasuke was definitely not as scary as people perceived him to be. Maybe he was terrifying last time, but she could tell that he had changed a bit.

"You're not sleeping?" He surprised her again by breaking the silence.

"N-No. I'm not sleepy yet."

"Hn."

Hinata suddenly had an urge not to let the conversation die down. She actually enjoyed talking to him, despite his short replies, but talking to him was strangely comforting. It helped her to forget about her current problems and situation. Talking to him made her feel less lonely. She knew once the rain stopped, they would most probably go separate ways, and she would then be all alone again to face her problems. Hence now, she wants to cherish this moment, the moment where she had someone to talk to even though she and Sasuke were barely friends.

Gathering her courage, Hinata spoke. "H-Have you been travelling by yourself all this while, U-Uchiha-san?"

Half of her wasn't expecting a reply because who was she kidding? Uchiha Sasuke wasn't a conversationalist. He would go all his way to avoid a conversation if possible. He preferred silence more than anything, but Sasuke surprised her yet again.

"Yeah. It's more peaceful that way." He answered indifferently. "Naruto made a fuss about it though."

"Ah, N-Naruto-kun." She mumbled sadly as she thought about the blonde.

He thought mentioning a familiar name would bring some sort of comfort to her because he could still see the fear in her eyes. He vaguely remembered her having some sort of crush on Naruto when they were younger, so his name should cheer her up. However instead of comfort, the dobe's name had brought another reaction. For a second, he had seen how her eyes saddened and the way her lips curved into a sad smile before her expression turned normal once more. He wasn't an idiot. He was a genius after all. Just from that few seconds of sadness, he could tell that something had happened between her and Naruto. However he wasn't a busybody, so he didn't bother to ask her why and allow the silence to linger.

"D-Does it gets lonely?" She suddenly asked, hugging her knees while staring at the fire. Since she was sure she would be travelling alone after this, she needed to know. She wanted to know how it would feel like, or how lonely it could get so that she could prepare herself for the void she would soon feel.

"Sometimes." Sasuke admitted, surprised at himself for telling her the truth. "But you'll get used to it."

"I see." She looked up at him and smiled. "T-Thank you, Uchiha-san."

He had no idea what she was thanking him for but he just grunted anyway. Another silence surrounded them before Hinata excused herself to prepare her sleeping area.

"You're not sleeping, U-Uchiha-san?"

"Later. Not tired yet."

"A-Ah I see." She blushed. "G-Good night then, Uchiha-san."

It was a rather awkward greeting, but he found himself replying. "Night."

Hinata gave him a small smile before falling into a slumber. Sasuke stayed rooted at his spot, switching from staring at the fire to the Hyuuga occasionally. She looked more peaceful. Obviously, she wasn't having any nightmare right now. After a few hours of staring, his eyes finally felt tired and he straightaway stood up to prepare his sleeping area. As Sasuke was preparing, her heard a soft whimper. He turned and faced the Hyuuga knowing it was her.

She was trembling and whimpering in her sleep. He knew whatever nightmares she had were haunting her again. Sasuke sighed. He would have ignored it, but she kept on whimpering and her voice was distracting. Hence reluctantly, Sasuke approached her wondering if he should wake her up from her nightmare or calm her mind like what he did the previous time she had a nightmare. In the first place, why was she always having nightmares?

As he pondered about what to do, a gentle breeze blew from outside messing up the Hyuuga's hair, revealing the green mark on her forehead.

His face was impassive, but he was surprised. Very surprised.

He had always suspected that something had happened to her, but now he knew that something definitely did

And whatever happened to her was something _serious._

Or else, why would the heiress of the noble Hyuuga clan be marked by their own curse seal?


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you SuperSillyFoxx, SasuHina, hobobzrule, MewBladeXxX, Toaneo 007 ver 20, kikigirl4321, itachisgurl93, Shizuka, pinksamurai1014, Laura, firegoat, xi chen chen, msdgirl, projxpsyclone, crazyquilt, suicine4ever, haru, damnhear 03, Meech Macko, champylin, Kystiiie, zero, Francis, guest, snowkatl, Oprincess shinigamiO, TheLoverofMusic, TheKatinTheTopHat, Lord Kami, Midnight, xoxo RiceBunny xoxo, GabzHaug, umnia, Dark Amy Chan, Mikareika and destined123 for your reviews._

_**A/N:** _What do you do when you are too stressed out from studying? You update your fics. Hahaha. First paper in two days. Last paper on 3rd December. Wish me luck. Meanwhile, here is Chapter 6.

By the way, many had been asking and I was too reply but Kaminari to Mizu means Lightning and Water. Lame title I know but I ran out of creative juices to think of a title.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 6**

_by deadly-chronicles_

_beta-ed by MewBladeXxX_

* * *

_The rain fell on her as the guards dragged her towards her room. The villagers they passed gave her a sympathetic look and she didn't like it. It was as if they knew something that she didn't. It was if they were silently wishing her good luck because her life would soon be hell._

_At that point, she didn't really want to believe it. After all, a political marriage wouldn't be that bad right? However now as the guards dragged her and pushed her into her room, Hinata felt sick because she felt more like a prisoner than a wife. The room itself was enclosed. No windows, no decorations or whatsoever. There was a queen size bed in the middle of the room and a small wardrobe at the side, but other than that, there was nothing. It was dull. It felt like a prison cell instead of a room for husband and wife. At that thought, Hinata felt sickened._

_This was the first day of marriage, the first night and she was afraid. She had already told herself that she shouldn't cry, that things would turn out fine, that her husband would treat her well, but she couldn't control her tears._

_Just from looking at her room, she knew she wouldn't be happy here. It was dull and gloomy. The atmosphere was tense. It wasn't bright and sunny like Konoha. She missed Konoha. She missed her friends. She missed . . ._

_"Hinata-chan~"_

_She turned around and bowed politely. Her duty was to serve him now as a loyal wife._

_"Do you like your new room?" he chuckled. She didn't answer and meekly nod. He wasn't happy._

_He grabbed her chin and smirked. "You should use that luscious mouth of yours more often." He grinned and wanted to kiss her but Hinata looked away. She wasn't ready._

_"Are you afraid my dear?" He stroked her cheeks gently._

_She nodded. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not ready."_

_"It's okay. I won't force you my dear." He smiled and Hinata sighed in relief and smiled back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe she could accept this life and accept him._

_"You know, your clan gave me a wonderful wedding gift."_

_"What is it?" She asked, her mood brightened now since her husband was gentle._

_However all of a sudden, his expression changed and the atmosphere grew tense. He smirked, a smirk she could never forget, and she found herself trembling as he said out those words._

_"How to activate your seal."_

_The next thing Hinata knew, she felt a searing pain on her forehead before it engulfed her entire body. The seal weakened her and rendered her immobile. She had no strength to fight back as he pushed her onto the bed. The pain was too strong that she couldn't even cry._

_He smirked and loomed over her._

_That night, her hell began._

**xXXxXXxXXx**

Sasuke was still staring at her wondering why she was sealed when the girl suddenly screamed and started throwing her body around. He was stunned for a minute until he figured that whatever nightmare she was having probably had gotten worse.

Not wanting to have a girl thrashing around in her sleep in the same cave as him, Sasuke tried to calm her down by inserting chakra into her mind. While it worked last time, now it didn't. She was still thrashing around relentlessly.

"Shit." Sasuke cursed when the Hyuuga began to scratch her fingers on the concrete ground, causing them to bleed. Not knowing what else to do, Sasuke loomed over her and gripped both of her hands gently so that she couldn't hurt herself anymore.

"It hurts . . . It hurts!" She had been screaming this repeatedly.

"Calm down Hyuuga!" He tried to wake her up but she was still trapped in her nightmare. "Shit."

"Stay away from me. Don't touch me!"

"Hyuuga, calm down!" He growled but she continued on screaming and tried to thrash her body around even though he already gripped her hand. It was making him wonder what the hell she was dreaming about causing her to act violently like this.

"Freaking calm down, Hinata!" He growled and placed his forehead on hers not knowing what else to do. He remembered when he had a nightmare when he was a child, Itachi would always place his forehead on his as Itachi's calm mind would ease the nightmare, and currently his mind was calm while Hinata's wasn't. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed, but still fearful as they met with his obsidian ones.

"Just calm down. No one's going to hurt you. No one." He ended up telling her even though she was obviously still dazed, but he knew words like those could soothe her mind. She closed her eyes again, and it took a while, but she stopped thrashing violently soon after and her breathing became even.

When he was finally sure that she was calmed, Sasuke let go of her wrist and got off her. He wasn't even aware that he had been straddling her just to calm her down. Well, at least she looked a bit peaceful now. Sasuke sighed and sat back near the fireplace. That must have been one scary nightmare for her to react that way.

Just a few minutes ago he wondered why she was sealed and now this. He stared at her again and wondered, what had she experience so traumatizing for her to have a nightmare like that?

**xXXxXXxXXx**

Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the dark surroundings. The sound of the rain had stopped and she immediately got up, her mind still in a daze after a peaceful slumber. Had the rain stopped? She had no idea. She was still too groggy to find out. She couldn't really remember what happened last night. Once again, her nightmares had disappeared after she felt a cold touch and a voice forcing her to calm down that immediately eased her mind. Someone had allowed her to sleep peacefully and the only one with her now as Sasuke. Was it him? Did he really help her sleep?

"You're awake." His cold monotonous voice snapped her out of her dream-like state.

Her face turned red when she realized he was staring at her sitting near the now extinguished fire place. "Y-Yeah. Have you been awake long, Uchiha-san?"

"Since last night."

She was stunned. "You didn't sleep?"

"Not tired." He replied indifferently. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah." She blinked. "Why?"

_She didn't remember._ "Nothing." He said and stood up. "The rain stopped few hours ago. We can leave soon, once you're ready."

Hinata blinked. The rain stopped few hours ago. He could have just left her and continued on his journey, but instead he waited for her to wake up. At that thought, Hinata felt guilty for holding him back. Not wanting to waste any more time, Hinata quickly packed her things. She didn't even bother to change into a new set of clothes or wash herself up. There was no nearby lake to do that anyway and she could do all those later once they went their separate ways.

"Sorry for holding you back, Uchiha-san." She apologized.

He didn't reply and just went out of the cave. She followed and trudged behind him wondering what would happen next. She was pretty sure they would be separating soon. The question was, where should she go next? It was obvious she could no longer return to Konoha. The clan would most probably kill her if they saw her in their line of sight. She had shamed and dishonored them after all, and a dishonored Hyuuga had no right to live.

Where else? She could try visiting the Hidden Mist. Mei Terumi would be willing to help her if she found out the truth about the lord of Hidden Rain, but wouldn't it be strange if she just dropped by randomly? Even though she was acquaintance with Mizukage and some other shinobis from Mist, the relationship wasn't close enough for her to drop by randomly. Hinata sighed, feeling at loss of what to do. She had successfully run away, but she had no idea what future awaited her. She had no idea where to go. Maybe she could try Hidden Sand? She knew the Kazekage would definitely help her but was she willing to get him involved?

She bit her lips nervously unaware that the Uchiha had been staring at her antics. It was only when she averted her gaze upwards and met his dark eyes did she realize.

"I-Is there something wrong, Uchiha-san?"

He looked away from her but still spoke anyway. "Why are you travelling on your own?"

"E-Eh?" She nervously fumbled, fearing that Sasuke had realized that she actually ran away.

"I thought you liked Konoha." He then added.

Her eyes widened a fraction before relief took over. She actually had forgotten that Sasuke had already left the village when her situation occurred, hence he most probably had no idea that she was sent away for a political marriage. Good. He didn't need to know. He didn't need to get involve. Getting him involve might jeopardize the freedom the Allied Nations had given him, the freedom that Naruto, with the help of the Kazekage, fought hard for. Hinata couldn't risk that. After all that Sasuke been through, the least he deserved now was to roam free without having involved in politics.

And her situation definitely involved politics.

"I-I just thought it'll be nice to travel," she lied, "Konoha is nice and all, but I just thought it's nice to see new surroundings."

"I see." He murmured before silence lingered around them once again. They walked quietly until they reached the end of the road divided into two paths. Hinata knew then that whichever road Sasuke would be taking, she would take the opposite.

"So which way are you going U-Uchiha-san?"

"That." He pointed towards the direction that will lead to a small town. "You?"

"The opposite." She smiled.

"Land of Wind?" He enquired.

"E-Eh?"

He looked at her impassively. "That way leads to the Land of Wind"

"A-Ah yea."

Silence lingered as he continued to stare at her while she twiddled with her fingers nervously. After a minute or so, Hinata broke the silence.

"I guess we'll be going our separate ways, U-Uchiha-san."

"Hn."

"U-Umm, thank you for everything so far U-Uchiha-san. It's been nice travelling with you."

"Hn."

"U-Umm, maybe one day we can see each other again," she blushed and he didn't answer, "b-bye!"

With another smile, she bid her farewell before turned turning around and dashed towards the opposite direction. Sasuke watched her go. He didn't say anything. He didn't even bother to answer her goodbyes. Knowing that this encounter had been random, or fate had brought them together as the mysterious old lady put it, now that they went their separate ways, Sasuke doubted they would see each other again.

Unless it _is_ fate.

With a shrug, Sasuke walked towards the direction opposite of Hinata as he continued on his journey, alone as always.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Honestly, she had no idea where the route she had taken would lead her, but after separating away from Sasuke, she up ended here, in front of yet another forest. She sighed knowing that turning back was not an option since Sasuke would most probably be there and if she didn't want him to get involve, she should keep her distance.

Staring at the entrance, she knew the only option she had now was to enter and spend the night there all by herself. Deciding to be more positive, Hinata thought of things she could look forward to. Maybe she would be able to find a lake to wash herself! Brightened up by that thought, she entered the forest with a smile, eager to find a convenient campsite near a lake. Using her byakugan, she scanned the surrounding area and beamed when she found the lake. Wasting no time, she leapt towards it, eager to feel the coolness of water on her skin.

She discarded her belongings to the ground once she reached her destination. Confirming that there was no one else within the radius and that she is in fact alone here, Hinata wasted no time and undressed herself completely before entering the lake. She breathed a sigh of content when she felt the cool sensation of water on her skin.

Hinata loved water. She didn't possess the water element for nothing. She felt like she can connect with it and water gave her some sort of strength she does not have. Water also helped to calm her completely, allowing her to think freely whenever she is in it. Now, as she floats in the lake, she allowed her thoughts to drift and she started thinking. She wondered what would happened next. Where should she go next? She had been thinking about this for days and till now she still couldn't find the answer.

Since this direction would lead to the land of the wind, maybe she really should go to the Hidden Sand. That is the only place other than Konoha where she knew she will be comfortable in. The Kazekage always has this tendency to make sure she is comfortable whenever she visits Suna, and compared to other Kages from other villages, she is closer to Gaara than to any of the other Kages. Perhaps it is because of their similar age which allowed them to easily relate to each other.

However, could she tell him that she ran away? Gaara knew about her political marriage with Hidden Rain, hence he would be surprised if she visited him alone. He would ask questions and he would definitely be suspicious. She was sure if Gaara finds out the truth, he would be willing to help her, but she wasn't willing to get him involved. The truth might affect the political ties between Hidden Sand and Hidden Rain and it would risk the safety of the village. She knew better than that, as Gaara loved his village more than anything, which is why she would never forgive herself if the safety of his village was affected because of her.

Also, she must not forget that Gaara and Naruto are close friends. While she and Gaara are friends, the friendship he shared with Naruto is much stronger. Even though she trusts Gaara, there is still a small possibility that the Kazekage might inform Naruto about her. She couldn't afford that. She must not let anyone in Konoha knows about her whereabouts. Her clan had eyes everywhere in the village after all. Just one person in Konoha knowing about her whereabouts would increase the clan's chance in finding her.

Hinata sighed knowing that she was back to square one. She still had no idea where to go nor could she ask anyone she knows for help.

"I'm always such a burden to others." Hinata mumbled sadly to herself. "Maybe I should stop being a burden and start travelling alone like Uchiha-san. No one else will be affected and burdened that way."

Knowing that it was her only option, Hinata stopped thinking about it and just enjoyed the feeling of cool water on her skin. She closed her eyes and relaxed, sighing in content when she sensed another presence. Frowning, she activated her Byakugan, but she could see nothing within her radius of sight. Still wary, Hinata got out of the lake and dressed herself up before getting into her stance.

The presence was getting stronger and it was familiar.

Hinata focused her chakra and tried to control as much water from the lake as possible because she would need it since they are coming after all.

The Rain ninjas.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

It had only been about an hour since Hinata left and Sasuke found himself still wondering about her. They had only travelled together for a few days – nearing a week actually, and just in that few days he had gotten himself used to her presence. She was quiet, she didn't cling to him, she was too shy for her own good and her silent demeanor that was similar to his actually made her tolerable. And she was so tolerable to the point that he didn't mind having her around.

After all, just a few minutes before he encountered her on that fateful day, he was musing about the fact that it could be lonely to travel alone. Back then, he also pondered about a suitable companion , one that is not loud or brash like Naruto or Sakura, one that is not too loyal like Juugo, one that won't jump on him like Karin, or one who wouldn't curse much like Sugietsu. To his surprise, after travelling with the Hyuuga for these few days, she actually fit the classification of the 'suitable travelling companion.' He had no idea if she was brash since he barely knew her before this, but she definitely wasn't loud. She definitely wouldn't jump on him as evident from how embarrassed she was just seeing him without his clothes on and she was too shy and meek to even scold profanities every now and then. He could actually stand her—a woman—since her presence was actually tolerable and rather . . . calming.

She did say her reason for travelling was to see the world, but Sasuke knew that was a blatant lie. He also couldn't understand why she always looked afraid and why she was travelling alone in the first place. An heiress supposed to have guards right? Then again, she was sealed.

Sasuke stopped and something struck his mind right there and then.

She was sealed which could mean a few things.

One, she was demoted and someone else was made the heir other than her, which meant she would have to be sealed. However if that were the case, she would still be in Konoha and not here travelling by herself, her eyes fearful as if she was running away from something, which then lead to the second possibility. She was sent away.

_Sent away . . . Running away . . ._

As those words played in his mind, Sasuke suddenly remembered the state she was in when he found her. She was badly injured, bleeding in fact, with bruises. Her first words to him were a plea, where she subconsciously pleaded him not to send her back there, wherever _'there'_ was. When the mysterious old lady healed her, she mentioned that she was abused, but at that moment, he didn't care because well, it wasn't his problem. However now that he had in fact seen the seal, the plea he first heard before she fainted, the way she had behaved when he had travelled with him, her fearful eyes and her constant nightmares, Sasuke finally put the pieces together.

She was_ in fact_ running away and the people she was running away from were still after her.

Sasuke turned around and stared at the direction she went. It was still not his problem, but now that he had vaguely figured out the truth, should he help her or should he just leave her alone?

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"It took quite a while for us to find you, Lady Hinata." The group of Rain ninjas grinned. "Master is not happy that you ran away."

"Tell your master I'm not coming back." Hinata grimaced. "Not planning to at all."

"He won't like that answer, Lady Hinata." One of them smirked. "You should know he doesn't like it when one of his properties disobeys him."

"I am not his property. I don't belong to him."

"Legally, you are. Even physically—"

Before he could say anymore, Hinata controlled some of the lake water, emitting her chakra into it for impact and slammed into him. The ninja was sent flying to a nearby tree while the rest glared at her, obviously not liking what just happened.

"It seemed like we have to use force, Lady Hinata. You should know that you're outnumbered."

"Try me." She provoked. "I'm not going back there at all, even if it means my death!"

The ninjas frowned began their attack while Hinata tried to evade them as much as possible. She managed to lock the chakra points of some ninjas but she was clearly outnumbered and the ones who she had yet to strike were getting annoyed by her relentlessness.

"You know, Master warned us about those hands of yours. Lock our chakra points and we'll be useless." One of them frowned. "But of course, Master was kind enough to teach us something."

"W-what?" Hinata stammered, not liking where this conversation was going.

The ninjas smirked while one of them used a familiar hand seal and her eyes widened before the curse seal on her forehead glowed and pain shrouded her entire body. She fell on her knees trying to force herself to move, but the seal was strong.

"Damn it!" She cursed before the pain became stronger and she screamed.

"Master said it'll be easier to drag you back if you can't move and activating the curse seal will render you immobile." One of the ninjas said as he roughly grabbed her wrists and pinned her onto the ground.

"Ahhhhhh!" Hinata shrieked in pain when one of the ninjas brutally stabbed both of her arms.

"And Master also said we should make your hands useless first in case you fight back," he snickered and pulled off the kunais used to stab her hands. Blood seeped out of it non-stop and Hinata tried to maintain her consciousness despite losing a lot of blood.

The rain ninja leaned closer and Hinata spat at him since she couldn't do anything else. She badly wanted to push him away. She badly wanted to fight them, but the Hyuuga seal was too strong. It was draining her chakra. It was making her completely weak and vulnerable. The seal made her completely useless. She couldn't move at all. She hated this. She hated herself for being pathetic and not able to defend. Why don't they just kill her and end her misery right now?

"And Master also said we can have some fun with you first . . ." the ninja whispered and her eyes widened when she felt his hands trailing up her thighs. She wanted to cry, but she held it back not wanting to give them the satisfaction. She closed her eyes and felt completely disgusted with herself for being touched by someone she didn't even know and she prayed and hoped that something would happen to remove the man's disgusting hands off her.

And her prayer came true.

All of a sudden, the weight that had been pinning her down disappeared. She opened her eyes, afraid that the rain ninja had stood up to do more horrifying things, but she didn't see the man at all. Instead, she was met with red eyes . . .

_U-Uchiha-san?_

Even though she couldn't move, she forced her body upwards to a sitting position despite the inscrutable sting she felt when she moved any parts of her body. She wondered what had happened, if it was really Sasuke she had seen and when she scanned her surroundings, her breath hitched.

Uchiha Sasuke was on rampage.

The ninja that had pinned her down just now was motionless on the ground, his body barely recognizable now and obviously dead. The rest of the ninjas tried to fight him, but the Uchiha showed no mercy, striking all of them down with his Chidori and slashing them with his katana. She could only watch as Sasuke slayed one ninja, and another and another . . .

It was brutal, but it was also darkly beautiful, the way his body swayed and glided as he slashed them one by one to their death, his red eyes glistening without mercy. It was as if he was dancing as he killed all of them.

The dance of death.

Sasuke showed no mercy. As the rain ninjas come at him, he killed and killed. He could feel the emotions in him rising. It had been a while since he last felt this way. The adrenaline. The excitement. The thrill.

The bodies fell to the ground, lifeless, as the blood stained him and his sword. He stared at his now bloodied sword which had been cleaned for years, but now it was tainted again by blood. Another ninja rushed to him and he raised his katana again, slashing the flesh without remorse and another body fell to the ground. His eyes were red just like the blood on him as more ninjas fell one by one.

This is who he really is.

No matter how much he tried to forget. No matter how much he travelled trying to find peace, he could not deny this part of him. He could not run away from his past, his sins and the atrocities he had committed. No matter how he tried to escape and search for peace by avoiding violence, not fighting with anyone, by not hurting animals even, he couldn't, because this is who he really is.

A merciless cold blooded killer.

"U-Uchiha-san . . ."

Hearing the timid voice, he turned around, his red eyes glaring at her petite form causing her to flinch. Her arms were bleeding. Her hair was a mess. She looked exhausted and weak, but it wasn't her fault was it? When those ninjas activated the curse seal on her forehead just now, the pain she felt must have been unbearable as the seal drained her chakra completely and rendered her immobile.

He approached her, his red eyes never once leaving her fearful white ones. He came closer and closer till he was standing right in front of her and she trembled. Was she afraid of him? Did she fear him like everyone else now? That was good right? Because that was how it was supposed to be. People are supposed to fear him. He didn't have the right to get close to anyone because he was a monster, a killer, a heartless ninja.

His place in this world was to be alone.

He squatted down his eyes now level with hers. She was still trembling and he felt angry all of the sudden. He felt like lashing at her for being afraid of him when he had just saved her weak and pathetic life. He could just leave her alone. He could have chosen not to go after her once he realized that she was in some kind of trouble. He could have just not interfered and let those rain ninjas grab her and do whatever they wanted with her. He could just have . . .

"Run . . ." She whispered.

His eyes widened slightly before his face turned impassive again despite his confusion. She was still trembling, her eyes looking at everywhere else except for him.

"U-Uchiha-san, you should run." She whispered again, her eyes focused on the right corner now as if something was coming. He then sensed it. More chakras which mean more ninjas are coming. It was then it hit him, as to why this pathetic Hyuuga was trembling.

She wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid _for_ him.

When he made no attempt to move, her eyes turned panicky. "U-Uchiha-san, you should run! This is not your problem. It's mine! You shouldn't get involve! If they find out that you are involved somehow, your freedom may be at stake! I can't let that! Not after the villages finally pardon you and allow you to roam free . . ."

Sasuke stared at her, trying to find any form of deception, any form of lies that implied that her concern for him was just false, but he found none. They were genuine. She was worried about his freedom even though she was in a huge problem herself. Sasuke frowned. She was still like how he used to remember her last time. She should stop thinking about others and start thinking about herself.

_And I should stop getting myself involved with her._

Rustling of trees were heard and both of them knew that the rest of the ninjas were drawing close.

"U-Uchiha-san. Go. _Run_." She pleaded.

He still didn't move and just stare at her. She was still weak from the activation of the curse seal and he doubted she could defend herself any longer, let alone run. His frown deepened.

"U-Uchiha-san?" She exclaimed, startled when Sasuke suddenly grabbed her hand roughly.

"You owe me a huge explanation for this, Hyuuga."

Her eyes widened in confusion but before she could ask or comprehend what he meant, she felt herself being lifted up and the next thing she knew, she was being carried by Uchiha Sasuke and he was dashing out of the forest with extreme speed.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you all for your kind reviews. I am sorry that I can't mention all of you now. Just received news that an acquaintance had passed away so I'll be gone for a while. This is also why this chapter is shorter than usual. Forgive me. The next chapter will be longer when I'm back.

Also regarding the ratings of this fic. Currently, this fic is a (T). However, I am open to options to increase it to an (M). Your opinions will matter because I do know some of you rather not read (M) rated fics :) So please tell me your opinions.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 7**

by deadly-chronicles

beta-ed by Opensoul and MewBladeXxX

* * *

The servant trembled as she served the tea to the glaring clan leader. Everyone in the Hyuuga clan knew that Hyuuga Hiashi was in a foul mood and she didn't want to dampen it any further. Slowly, she placed the cup on the table, not wanting to spill even the tiniest drop onto him. Hiashi glared at her obvious fear and she quickly bolted out of the room, forgetting to bow out of courtesy in the process, the moment she placed the cup on his desk, leaving a frown etched on Hiashi's face.

Pathetic.

The actions of the servant just now only reminded him of his elder daughter who was currently giving him problems. Only Hinata would tremble and shiver in front of him. Only Hinata would portray forwardly her fear towards him openly, and only Hinata could give him a headache like the one he was having now.

Ever since she was born, his first child—the supposed heir, had always been different. Unlike most Hyuugas, Hinata started learning how to crawl and walk at a later age and even after she did, she kept on falling. At a young age, she had already shown signs of being weak. The elders always chided him for producing a weak heir so he started training her when she was only turning three to prove them wrong. Obviously it didn't work out. If so, it only made her weaker. She grew up becoming a shy, timid and gentle girl, different from the rest.

As an heiress, she was pathetic, so the elders did not hesitate to take that tile away from her and gave it to her little sister instead. Truthfully, Hiashi didn't mind because Hinata just did not have it in her. She was not tough like Hanabi, neither was she stern. She couldn't lead. Her gentleness would only harm the clan.

She was not fit to be a leader, neither was she fit to be a Hyuuga. The elders made that clear by sending her away. Honestly, he had mixed emotions about the political marriage. Even though he was always harsh to her, she was still his daughter and he still quietly cared. The new lord of rain emitted a rather strange vibe and he knew that man would not care for his daughter. Not one bit.

He knew, but he didn't do anything to prevent it. The influence of the elders was stronger than his so he didn't disobey them, couldn't. The elders knew best after all. Thus, he allowed it to happen, believing it to be fate. Hinata was destined to be with that man. It was her fate to be in the Hidden Rain because she no longer had a place here. Every Hyuuga has his own destiny paved for him and this was Hinata's path. She should embrace it because it was the path assigned to her.

But she didn't.

Instead, she ran away, creating the mess now. Hiashi mused at his elder daughter's ability to always make his life difficult. He grimaced at the thought of why he was cursed with a child who could never do anything right, who continued again and again to make his life and the elders' lives difficult.

He sipped the tea only to spit it back out. Bitter. Extremely bitter. Hiashi scowled. This was clearly not his day. Screw that, this was not his week. Not at all. His angry thoughts were disrupted by soft yet confident footsteps and his scowl deepened as he wondered who would dare enter his chamber without permission. He looked up angrily only to meet with a pair of iris eyes as cold as his.

"Hanabi." Hiashi greeted his younger daughter emotionlessly. "What brings you here without proper greetings?"

Hanabi simply stared at him, not bothering to grace her presence in front of him with a polite bow. She didn't apologize either for her obvious rudeness and instead continued to glare at him until she finally spoke.

"Aren't you going to do anything about Aneki?"

"The Hyuuga clan is doing their best to find your sister and bring her back to the Hidden Rain. She won't disgrace us any longer."

"I'm not asking what you are doing as a clan leader. I'm asking whether you are going to do anything as a father."

Hiashi looked mildly surprised for a moment before his expression turned impassive once again. "You have no right to ask me that Hanabi. Now leave. I am busy."

The younger Hyuuga however made no attempt to move. She clenched her fists and snarled. "Aneki is your daughter as well, father! You know that the new lord of Hidden Rain is no good for her. You should help her, not send her back there!"

Hiashi stood up, clearly unfazed by his younger's daughter rudeness as evident from his rising anger. "Your sister's destiny is in the Hidden Rain. That is her given path."

"Destiny is supposed to be chosen, not given!" Hanabi taunted. "I'm glad that Aneki ran away. At least she is smart to choose her own destiny and make the bastard elders and you miserable."

"Do not speak of your elders like that!" Hiashi raged. "Show your respect. I am your father!"

"I have no intention of respecting a father who refuses to help his own daughter!"

Hiashi's eyes widened at his younger daughter's statement, feeling a strange twinge in his heart which he refused to acknowledge as pain. "Say another word and you might end up like your sister."

It was an obvious threat. If she, the current heiress, did not obey him or the elders or chose to go against all of them, she would risk having the same fate as her elder sister. He would rather not have that happen. Hanabi had shown great potential as an heiress. She would be a great leader.

Unfortunately, she is extremely hard to control.

She showed no fear despite his threat, glaring at him with cold piercing eyes. She was standing by her own ideals and her ideals meant that Hinata deserved to be helped. This could be problematic. Hiashi could not afford to lose his younger daughter as well.

"Hanabi, you would not want to suffer the same fate as your sister." Hiashi warned.

"Try me." Hanabi provoked, snickering slightly before walking out of her father's chamber as if the threat meant nothing to her, leaving one scowling Hiashi with an even bigger headache.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

The sky was darkening as the clouds gathered but Neji didn't care as he continued smashing the wooden block in the training grounds relentlessly, needing a platform to unleash his frustration. He still hated the fact that he was stuck here in this village unable to do anything as the clan had their eyes on him. He should be out there, looking for Hinata, bringing her somewhere safe and protecting her. He struck and struck using his gentle(?) fists, only to hear another loud smash coming from behind. He didn't have to guess who it was since the chakra was familiar.

"Hanabi-sama, shouldn't you be back at the compound?" Neji turned to the younger Hyuuga who was hitting another wooden block without mercy. "You don't want to get yourself or anyone else into trouble by skipping another main house meeting."

"Tch," Hanabi snickered, "I don't give a damn. The meetings are pointless. My opinions don't matter anyway. The elders run the show and make all the decisions in the end, so what's the point?"

Neji frowned. "Maybe you could try to influence more of the main house members to join our side . . . It could be helpful, judging from the current situation now."

"It's no use! The damn members of the main house are like puppets of the elders, including that old bastard!"

Neji blinked at his little cousin's foul language. "I am assuming you are talking about your father."

"Duh! How many old bastards do I know?!" Hanabi retorted, smashing the block even harder now.

"Not many I suppose," Neji sighed. "Judging from your obvious fury, something must have happened. What's wrong?"

"That bastard refused to help Aneki!" Hanabi snarled, giving the block more blows. "He is supposed to help her! Aneki is his daughter! His flesh and blood! My sister! Aneki needs help and father is supposed to help! Families are supposed to help each other . . ."

Neji noticed how her body started to tremble as she said those words. It was then when he realized that Hanabi was trying hard not to cry. To conceal her emotional pain, she smashed the wooden block into pieces as she unleashed her frustration regarding her father, not caring that it was inflicting physical pain onto her fist. When she was done talking, she stared at her bloodied fist, her normally cold eyes displaying pain and sadness.

"Aneki must have suffered more than this bloodied fist . . ." She murmured sadly.

"Hinata-sama is a strong woman. No matter how much she suffered, she will not give in." Neji told her, trying to comfort the younger Hyuuga. Comforting words were not his forte but he knew Hanabi needed to hear it for assurance.

Hanabi may be a strong willed girl and a ruthless fighter. She was the one who was labelled as the proper Hyuuga because of her cold demeanour and skills which exceed expectations. However, despite her cold front, Hanabi was still human. When it comes to Hinata, even the normally stoic Hanabi will falter. Neji knew that Hanabi cared for her elder sister a lot even when she doesn't really openly show it sometimes. After all, Hinata had been the one to care for her when she needed someone the most ever since their mother's passing. Despite the rivalry the clan had forced upon the two sisters, Hinata never once neglected her responsibilities as an elder sister.

When Hanabi was sick, Hinata took care of her. When the maids were not available, she would prepare the meals for her. Whenever she had nightmares, Hanabi would quietly creep into the elder sister's bed and Hinata never once pushed her away, even when she took up a lot of space. Ever since their mother passed away, Hinata became both a sister and a mother to her and it was not surprising that Hanabi later on grew attached to her gentle sister. Like how Hinata managed to soften Neji's heart, her kindness touched Hanabi too. Hanabi adored her gentle sister greatly, which was why when Hinata was sent away, Hanabi was furious, and now even more so since she couldn't do anything to help her, what with the clan keeping an eye on Hinata's actions.

She couldn't be there for her sister now when Hinata needed it.

Neji patted the younger Hyuuga's shoulder as gesture of comfort and she looked up at him with sad eyes.

"D. . . Do you think Aneki will be all right?"

Neji thought about it. Will Hinata be all right? Honestly, if one were to follow logic, she definitely wouldn't be. Hinata was only one person and she has a village and her own clan against her. Numbers were definitely not on her side. If she was still running alone without any help, she was definitely at a great disadvantage. If she was still running alone, chances are she would be caught soon. However, Neji knew Hinata wasn't one to give in easily. She would try to find a way. Maybe she found help . . . an ally . . . or just something or someone that could help her. Maybe . . .

"Hinata-sama is definitely at a great disadvantage. With a village and our clan after her, chances are, she will definitely be caught soon," Neji began and he felt Hanabi stiffening upon hearing those words. "But, I would like to believe that fate is on Hinata-sama's side."

"That's all we can do for now, huh? Believe . . ." Hanabi mumbled and looked up at the sky.

Neji said nothing and gazed at the sky with her. The two Hyuugas continued staring as the clouds continued to gather and flashes of lightning were seen.

"Lightning . . ." Hanabi smiled sadly. "Aneki had always been afraid of lightning. Wherever she is now, I wonder if lightning is striking there as well. If so, how is she doing? Is she afraid? Is she shivering? Is she . . ."

"Hanabi-sama, let's not think like that." Neji told her.

"Then what am I supposed to think?!" Hanabi snapped. "It's her greatest fear!"

"Sometimes," Neji began calmly, "your greatest fear can help you the most."

Her eyes widened in slight confusion. "Y. . . Your greatest fear can help you the most?"

Neji nodded but didn't bother to explain further. "Come, let's go back to the compound before it rains. It looks like a storm is coming. "

Neji walked off and Hanabi followed behind before stopping again to look at the sky once more.

"Aneki, if what Neji-niisan said is right, I hope . . . the lightning can help you."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

She had no idea where she was right now. The vision around her was blurry. Sasuke was moving with such extreme speed that everything looked like it was flashing past her. Knowing it was impossible to figure out her current location, she closed her tired eyes and simply decided to trust the man who was helping her right now.

A roar of thunder was heard and Hinata gripped his shirt tighter, her head fell against his chest as she felt her consciousness slowly fading. The blood from her bleeding arms dripped to his clothes as she clung to him, but she was feeling too weak to apologize, too weak to feel guilty even. Then again, his clothes were already bloodied to begin with. Her last remaining energy was slowly draining away and she knew it was a matter of time before darkness took her completely. . .

She felt Sasuke's grip on her waist tightened as he increased his speed even further. Despite her current state, her cheeks still reddened when she realized the close proximity they were in. Her head was resting against his chest goodness sake, to the point that she could even smell him. Even his scent was intimidating. It was a mixture of lightning . . . and blood. Strange, she should feel frightened by these smells but she didn't. Instead, she felt safe and protected. She still wondered why he was helping her in the first place. He had no obligations to her. He didn't even have any relation or friendship with her. Yet, he was still doing this, jeopardizing his own freedom to aid someone as pathetic as her. He could have left her there. He could have allowed the Rain Ninjas to take her, or he could even end her misery by ending her life, but he didn't. It was ironic that the person who ended up helping her now was the same boy she was intimidated of as a child, someone whom she was too afraid to get to know or befriend and the very person with the element she most feared. Lightning.

He suddenly stopped and Hinata fidgeted, looking up weakly to see where they were.

"Don't move." He ordered and she stayed still.

"W-Where are we?" She managed to mumble out.

"Nowhere." He replied. "But we managed to lose them. They won't find us for some time. Hold on for a while more. We'll find shelter."

"S-Sorry, Uchiha-san. Sorry for troubling–"

"Shut up." He cut her off rudely. "Conserve your energy."

She listened to him, knowing that talking will just drain her energy. She would love to use the Byakugan to help him locate a shelter but the seal had made her completely weak and useless. Hinata vowed that she would thank him properly once she regained her strength.

Sasuke leapt from tree to tree, his Sharingan still activated, as he sought for shelter. He knew it was a matter of time before Hinata loses consciousness completely judging from the amount of blood she had lost. It was a miracle in fact for her to even still be conscious right now. She was beginning to pant and her body was getting cold. Those wounds needed to be treated as soon as possible but it cannot be done in the open while they were still being pursued. Even when he had managed to outrun those Rain Ninjas, he couldn't risk it. He increased his speed until he found a small cave large enough for the two of them.

Wasting no time, he went in, placing the semi-conscious Hinata onto the ground. He rummaged his bag for some bandages before kneeling down in front of her to inspect the huge gash on both of her arms. He grimaced knowing that she would need proper medical treatment, but it was impossible to find one now, not when the ninjas could still be on their trail. Sasuke figured he should close up the gashes first to stop the bleeding. That would at least allow her to regain some of her energy. Soft blue light then glowed from his right palm as he raised it above her gash.

"Y-You know medical ninjutsu?" Hinata asked him weakly as she quietly observed him trying to heal her wounds.

"The basics," he replied and continued his treatment.

She smiled feebly. "W-Why are you helping me?"

He shifted his gaze and their eyes met. Why she asked? Why did he help her? He had no idea himself. Maybe he did, but he wasn't going to say it. He wasn't going to tell her that his path of vengeance had darkened his life that peace seemed impossible to attain. He wasn't going say that perhaps by helping her, helping someone in need, then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to atone for his sins. Maybe, he would be able to find that peace he was seeking. Then maybe, he would be able to change.

But who was he kidding? He had just killed again to help her and it made him excited. Things have yet to change. He could never change.

"Don't talk." He ended up telling her.

She understood and she stayed quiet, wincing in pain as he healed her. Medic ninjas' chakras are always gentle, making the process of healing smooth and less painful, but Sasuke wasn't a medic ninja. He was a fighter, an avenger, and he had killed many before with the same hands that were healing her now. It wasn't surprising that his chakra was rougher and sharper than others. It actually hurt when his chakra touched her gash as he tried to close them, but Hinata said nothing. She knew she shouldn't complain. Sasuke was healing her on his own accord, thus even if the process was painful, she should be thankful.

Sasuke seemed to notice her discomfort. He didn't apologize but he did reduce the amount of chakra he was emitting to reduce the pain she was feeling.

"N-No," Hinata managed to utter, "It's fine. The pain is fine. Y-You don't have to reduce it. D-Do what you need to do, U-Uchiha-san."

He glared at her to see if she really didn't mind. Realizing that she was serious, he increased his chakra again and Hinata bit her lips to stop herself from whimpering, mentally reminding herself not to be weak. Once Sasuke was done healing her right arm, he started on her left which was just as badly injured. He started the process again and by then, Hinata was already getting used to the sharpness of his chakra, making the process more bearable. After a gruelling 45 minutes, Sasuke managed to close up her gashes, effectively stopping the bleeding.

"I managed to close up your gash, but it's temporary. It'll give you some time to regain your energy. Tomorrow, we'll look for a healer," Sasuke murmured as he bandaged her up. "We'll stay here for tonight. Try not to move your arms so much. You should rest now."

"T-Thank you . . ."

Sasuke said nothing and stood up, picking up his sword and sat down a little further from her, his back facing her. Hinata watched as he took a cloth from his bag and started wiping away the blood stains from his sword. There were lots of stains . . . lots and lots of it . . . a reminder of how he had ruthlessly killed. Uchiha Sasuke was a cold blooded avenger. He would not hesitate to annihilate. She should be afraid of him. Maybe she still was a little bit, but she knew she shouldn't.

Because this cold blooded avenger had just saved her life and was now mixed up in her mess which could jeopardize his freedom. He deserved to know the truth. He deserved an explanation.

"I-I . . ." Hinata bit her lips nervously, wondering where to begin, "w-wasn't really travelling on my own."

Sasuke didn't say anything but Hinata knew that he was listening so she just continued. "I-I actually ran away . . ."

Sasuke wasn't surprised. It made sense now that he thought about it. From the first day he encountered her in the forest, she was already afraid. It was obvious she was running away from something, but . . . why was the Hidden Rain involved in this?

Hinata smiled bitterly and answered his silent question. "M-My clan actually sent me away for a political marriage . . . to the new lord of Hidden Rain. H-He wasn't really a normal . . . husband . . ."

"He was abusive." Sasuke stated nonchalantly and Hinata gazed at his back, wondering if it was obvious but Sasuke didn't bother to explain.

"B-Before I was sent away, the clan decided to put the Hyuuga seal on me. I was fine with it actually. A-After all, I'll be away from Konoha and the seal will protect the secrets of the Byakugan in case anything happened, but . . ." Hinata smiled sadly. " . . . I didn't expect the clan to teach him to activate the seal . . ."

So that's why the Rain Ninjas knew how to activate her seal just now. He turned to look at her and saw her dejected expression. He wasn't surprised. To be betrayed by the ones you trusted the most, it was never a good feeling. Sasuke showed no emotions, but he never knew that the Hyuuga clan could be full of bastards. However yet again, noble clans are always full of bastards. He had learnt this from experience . . .

"T-That's why I can't return to Konoha. If I did, the clan would send me back to the Hidden Rain and then he . . . that bastard . . ." She was beginning to tremble now as she remembered the way the bastard of her husband would activate her seal to force himself on her. "He will . . ."

Sasuke noticed her trembling and cut her off. "You can stop now. You don't have to say anything else."

"B-But you deserve an explanation."

"I wanted an explanation, not your life story." He glared at her.

Hinata blushed and looked down. "S-Sorry."

"Besides, painful memories are better left forgotten." He mumbled softly, more to himself than to her, but Hinata heard and she understood.

Sasuke had been suffering as well, perhaps even more so than her. No . . . definitely more than her.

"U-Uchiha-san," Hinata spoke again, her voice soft and she smiled," Thank you."

He stopped cleaning his sword for a second, taking in those genuine words of gratitude before cleaning his sword again. He said nothing. He didn't answer her, not even grunting in response but Hinata didn't mind. She was still thankful.

"Sleep. You need the rest, " he later told her while he continued cleaning his sword.

She smiled at his response but she didn't sleep. She ended up staring into nothing and started thinking as Sasuke continued to wipe away the blood stains of his sword lost in his own thoughts. Silence lingered between them as they thought about the mess they were now in. No words were said but they both wondered.

What kind of future awaits them now?


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you for your responses regarding the rating change. Many do not mind it being an (M) but some do voice out their worries. Hence, after much consideration, this fic will remain a (T), meaning, there will be no lemon scene and neither will there be intense violence and gore. I will try my very best to make it suitable for all of you.

Also thank you for all your reviews.

Also, I'm going to cry now because of the latest Naruto chapter :(

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 8**

_**by** **deadly-chronicles**_

_**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX** **and** **Opensoul**_

**Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. We own nothing.**

* * *

The room was dark, creepy even, and the guard shivered as he heard the sound of knives being sharpened. He was given the task to pass the message to the lord, but he was definitely not looking forward to facing him, not when the lord was still in a bad mood since his wife – or what he labeled as 'his pet' ran away.

"My lord . . ." the guard knelt before the lord and prayed that the lord would spare his life after the message was given. Blue hair and black eyes, with a scar on his left cheek was his physical appearance. The spectacles he wore made his appearance a little bit timid, but the guard knew he was anything but timid. The lord in front of him could be rather ruthless and unforgiving . . .

"Do you have any news about my lady?" He asked, his eyes gazing out of the window while sharpening his knives.

"W-Well, my lord, the team you sent to retrieve her was massacred . . ." the guard trembled. "No one was left alive . . ."

The sound of sharpening knives stopped and the guard did not dare look up as he heard footsteps approaching him. He felt a rough grip on his neck and he choked as he was lifted up. The guard's eyes widened in fear as he gazed into the fuming black eyes. Even the spectacles could not hide the intensity of his anger. A cold voice was then heard, filled with rage.

"I've sent you all to do a simple job . . . Find the Hyuuga . . . I even showed you how to activate the seal. After all, by activating the seal, she can't even defend herself . . . and you can't even do it?!" He snarled.

"Forgive us my lord . . ." the guard choked. "We didn't expect her to receive aid."

"Who was it?"

"We couldn't see clearly . . . but from afar, we sensed lightning. From far, we saw red eyes and we froze at the sight of it. That's why we couldn't help as the person used his sword and slashed everyone to death. When we finally found the courage to move again, everyone was dead . . . and that man took Lady Hinata and ran away . . ."

The guard expected a backlash or immediate death even. He didn't expect to be released. Thankful to be freed from the grip, he also didn't expect to hear laughter.

"My lord . . .?"

"Is it true, what you had just said?" He asked grinning widely.

"Yes my lord."

His laughter grew louder and the guard took a few steps back till his back hit the wall, looking at his lord warily wondering if he had finally lost his mind. He had always been creepy after all.

"This is interesting . . ." he grinned to himself, "I just wanted a Hyuuga to start on it afresh but fate decides to bring _him_ back to me as well . . . I have masked my true appearance for two years researching ways and waiting for the opportunity to take her eyes from her but she ran away . . . And now, _he_ is in the picture."

He laughed even louder. "So interesting . . . Very interesting. Now that he is involved, I should put on this mask a little bit longer . . . If it is really him, I can even start a political war and then . . ."

"My lord . . ." The guard shivered as his lord chortled madly. "My lord . . . is everything all right?"

"Yes!" He screamed in joy. "Never better! For bringing me such amazing news, you deserve recognition."

"I-It's an honor, my lord."

He grinned again and looked out of the window. The sky was dark and he could tell that it was going to rain soon. Even if the rain reminded him of the day she escaped, he wasn't affected now, because if it was true that he was the one helped her, his plan had just become beyond interesting. He was eager. He couldn't wait . . .

"Tell the rest of the guards to eliminate all evidence that could help others track her. The area where the massacre occurred, wash it completely. Leave no trail behind." He ordered. "Also, prepare the carriage. I am going to leave this village for a while."

"Where to, my lord?"

His grin turned malicious.

"To pay our wonderful Konohagakure a visit."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

With the strong wind, their techniques were rendered useless. Kiba's strong sense of smell was affected by the scent of the upcoming storm while Shino's bugs could not scatter far due to the wind. It had been three days since they began their search, yet they had found nothing. However, it didn't stop the two Leaf ninjas from continuing their search. They vowed to themselves that they wouldn't stop until they at least found some clues about Hinata's whereabouts. They did not give up, they continued on searching and their efforts paid off as just moments ago, Kiba managed to sense Hinata's faint scent.

"Is it only her scent alone?" Shino asked as they made their way to the scene.

"No," Kiba frowned, "Akamaru and I smelled other foreign scents as well. I can't tell who they are since they are faint. I might be able to tell once we get there."

"Foreign scent could be bad news." Shino mumbled. "Let's hurry."

"You don't have to tell me, Shino." Kiba grinned." Akamaru and I are eager to save Hinata as well you know!"

The two members of Team 8 increased their speed, hoping that the scent Kiba smelled meant that they would find Hinata soon and saved her, but they knew as ninjas they shouldn't have high hopes. Lingering scent could mean that Hinata was there a few days ago but could be long gone now. Both increased their pace and made their way when Kiba suddenly leapt faster, his eyes widened in fear.

"Kiba, what's wrong?"

"I can smell blood!" Kiba grimaced and that was enough for Shino to increase his speed as well.

The trio including Akamaru arrived at the scene, immediately checking the surroundings and they definitely didn't like what they were seeing. The surrounding trees were completely shattered, the ground cracked and there were blood stains everywhere. The blood wasn't wet, but it wasn't completely dry either which meant whatever had happened here probably took place from half a day, to a day ago.

Shino then scattered his bugs around, some to inspect the blood while others to check the perimeter and see if there is anyone who is coming their way while Kiba began his process to make out any lingering scent with Akamaru.

"My centipedes are staying away from the blood, so it's definitely human blood." Shino mentioned as he examined the pool of blood, "Judging from the amount of blood we see, I can safely say that a massacre happen here. A group of people were definitely slain . . ."

"I don't like the sound of that," Kiba commented as he took in the surrounding scents.

"Can you differentiate the scent of blood?"

"Trying." Kiba frowned. "One scent overwhelmed the other. The blood I can most smell is foreign. They definitely do not belong to Konoha. This smell . . . Ninjas from Hidden Rain."

"And the one overwhelmed?"

Kiba continued sniffing and stiffened. "Hinata. . . Hinata's blood."

"So they got to her first . . ." Shino mumbled trying to control the fury within.

"Akamaru detected another scent though. I couldn't make it up at first. But it's strange . . ." Kiba frowned, trying to make sense of the last scent he was smelling.

Shino looked up at him. "Another set of blood?"

"Not blood . . ." Kiba paused. "It's chakra. It's fading, but it definitely doesn't belong to Rain Ninjas or Hinata. Lightning. It smells like lightning."

"Lightning?" Shino inquired but before Kiba could tell him details, he received a message from the bugs he had scattered and frowned, "Kiba, we need to hide."

The two were quick to hide their presence behind the trees, masking their chakra as so that they wouldn't be found. They took a peek and quietly listened as a group of Rain ninjas made their way to the scene.

"Damn, why must we do this?" one of the ninjas complained, "We already cleared the bodies!"

"The Lord wants us to get rid of all evidence. We must wash this place and leave no traces behind."

"But look at the sky. A storm is coming. The rain will definitely wash away all the traces!"

"The Lord doesn't want to take risk," one explained, "what if some Leaf Ninjas discovered this scene before the rain falls? We can't afford them to have any leads if we want to find Lady Hinata first."

"How are we going to find her if she has that _monster_ by her side?" One ninja trembled. "Did you see how he slayed our comrades? He slashed them all to their deaths with no hesitation! H-He didn't even have to use much force . . . T-The monster who unleashed his Chidori annihilated our comrades like rats with his sword . . . and t-those eyes . . . those red eyes . . ."

"Someone shut him up," the leader ordered, "our Lord doesn't need a trembling ninja. Get rid of him. He can join our fallen ninjas from just now."

The fellow Rain ninja who had been trembling with fear was silenced immediately without qualms. The leader then made a series of hand seals and the rest followed. Soon, droplets of rain fell, washing away the evidence that existed.

"Our jutsu had forced the rain to fall sooner," the lead ninja smirked, "all traces will be gone now. Let's head back before our Lord leaves."

The Rain ninjas immediately left the scene, disappeared deeper into the forest. Once they were sure that the ninjas were completely gone, Kiba and Shino came out to the scene again, not caring that all the leads and traces of Hinata are now gone due to the rain because they had just heard something interesting.

"Did you hear that Kiba?" Shino mumbled.

"Yea! Hinata is still alive!" Kiba grinned, jumping enthusiastically with Akamaru knowing that his dear friend was still out there and not yet caught.

"The part about the monster." Shino added.

Kiba stopped jumping. "Man, shouldn't you be a little excited that Hinata is still alive? Yeah, I heard about the monster part? What, afraid? We can just kill whatever that monster is and bring Hinata back!"

"I think . . ." Shino added, "that monster isn't literally a monster. He mentioned someone who uses Chidori and annihilates them like rats. He slashed the ninjas without mercy . . . He was using a sword."

"So you are saying that someone with a sword and knows Chidori is protecting Hinata? Isn't that good?"

Shino sighed at his friend slow realization. "They mentioned that he has red eyes."

"Yea so?" Kiba blinked.

"You said you smelled a fading chakra just now. Lightning."

"Yea . . .so?"

"Chidori is a lightning based jutsu. It was created by Kakashi-sensei and it can only be used by him and one other person he taught."

" . . . Okay?"

"Kakashi-sensei is in Konoha, so it is definitely not him." Shino said.

Kiba scratched his head wondering where his friend was going with this. Kiba was confused. Kakashi only taught one person on how to use Chidori, but that person has long left the village and he also uses a sword.

Kiba gaped, wide eyed as realization hit him. "The one who saved Hinata . . ."

"I'm glad you finally realized, Kiba," Shino murmured staring at the dark sky. "But this is completely unexpected . . . the one to help Hinata."

"Uchiha Sasuke . . ."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

He stood near the exit of the cave, stared at the darkened sky and listened to the falling rain. It had finally rained few hours ago. Hinata had finally fallen asleep an hour before it rained, while he found himself unable to rest. Thus, here he was watching the rain as he thought. The rain could be both a disadvantage and advantage to them. He knew the rain would have eliminated any lingering scent and traces of them, which meant if there are any allies looking for her, the trail was now completely washed away. However, it would also mean her pursuers had lost the trail as well which meant she would be safe from them for now.

They definitely should use the rain to their advantage. It would be troublesome to travel while it rained heavily but whether they liked it or not, it would be better to start moving again now as the rain would definitely cover up their tracks. He turned around to wake Hinata up, kneeling in front of her and shaking her shoulders slightly. She stirred and opened her eyes, her cheeks turning red when their eyes met.

"Have you regained enough energy to walk?" Sasuke asked, making his way to his bag taking a cloak out.

"Somewhat." Hinata answered. "Are we leaving?"

He nodded. "We should use the rain to our advantage. It will cover up our scent. Do you have a cloak?"

She shook her head and Sasuke passed his cloak to her. "Put that on so that you won't get drenched. The hood should protect your identity a bit and it'll cover your wound from getting hit from the rain as well."

"H-How about you?"

"I'm not the one being pursued."

"B-But you'll get drenched from the rain."

"I'll be fine." He said and took his bag. Hinata sighed, not wanting to argue and wanted to take her bag as well but Sasuke beat her to it and carried it for her. She stared at him in condescendingly.

"I can—"

"You're still injured. Your gash might reopen." He cut her off and exited the cave.

She said nothing else, not bothering to retort knowing that arguing with Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't be a good idea. She followed timidly behind him and the moment they stepped out, the pouring rain hit them relentlessly. For a moment, she felt thankful for the cloak Sasuke had given her, but her feeling of gratefulness changed to guilt when she saw how drenched the Uchiha was walking in front of her. He had given her his cloak and was carrying her bag for her as well, and now here she was protected from the rain thanks to his cloak while he was completely soaked. Hinata couldn't help but to feel extremely bad.

"U-Uchiha-san—"

"The nearest town should be about a mile from here. Let's hope there'll be a healer there." He cut her off again.

" . . . Okay."

"Were you about to say something?"

"Y-You are drenched, U-Uchiha-san." She dared herself to look at him and tugged at the cloak she was wearing. "M-Maybe, you should wear—"

"Stop worrying about others and start caring about yourself first." Sasuke frowned and snapped. "When you can't even help yourself, don't even think about helping others."

She immediately looked down, unable to meet his cold gaze as she absorbed his words. They were harsh, but it was the truth. Here she was, needing his protection, his help to escape from her pursuers. She couldn't even protect herself on her own. She couldn't even help herself. She needed someone to aid her. She was a burden. What right does she have to help others when she can't even help herself? Until she finally has the ability to defend herself without involving others and stop depending on others, then maybe others will accept her help knowing that she can stand on her own.

"I'm sorry Uchiha-san . . ." she whispered to herself and trudged behind him in silence with only the sound of raindrops accompanying them.

The pair fought the strong wind and continued walking in the rain. They didn't utter a single word to one another. Sasuke seemed content with the silence and listening to the raindrops that Hinata didn't think that it was appropriate to initiate a conversation. Besides, Sasuke looked like he was in a bad mood judging from the scowl on his face and Hinata didn't dare to ruin his mood further. She heard rumors before that an angry Uchiha can be very unpredictable and Hinata rather not test the theory now.

Therefore, Hinata was more than happy to let the silence linger and allowed Sasuke to lead the way, that was, until the Uchiha suddenly stopped, stood in front of her and withdrew his sword causing Hinata to squeak in surprise.

"U-Uchiha-san. . .?"

"Who are you?" Sasuke glared at the front suspiciously. Hinata took a peek as she stood behind him and saw a mysterious hooded figure in a cloak in front. Strange, why couldn't any of them sensed the extra presence? Sasuke was already on his stance when footsteps were heard and a mysterious figure in a cloak approached them. She immediately stiffened, feeling useless all of a sudden, not being able to do anything since her hand was still injured.

Sasuke was about to attack when the cloaked figure chuckled. "Still suspicious as always, young man."

"You are . . ." Sasuke immediately stopped his attack.

Hinata's eyes widened, seeing the revealed face. "The old lady from before!"

"It seems like fate really did its job . . ." The old lady chucked as she eyed Sasuke and Hinata earning her confused looks from them. She smiled wryly. "Why are both of you travelling in this heavy rain?"

"No particular reason." Sasuke said. He wasn't in the mood to explain, not to this mysterious old lady who always appeared out of nowhere.

"Are you by chance being pursued?" Both didn't answer but the silence was enough for her to confirm her suspicions. "As I have guessed. Follow me. I can help you."

"Why should we?" Sasuke glared at her.

"I've helped both of you before." She smiled. "Besides, Hinata is injured right? She needs a healer and going to a town while you are being chased isn't a good idea."

Sasuke frowned knowing that the old lady was right. Those Rain Ninjas might patrol the nearby towns knowing that Hinata was currently injured and needs medical treatment. They could even be waiting for their arrival to ambush them. Neither of them was in a state to fight. Well he could still fight, but he would rather avoid direct confrontation if possible. The last thing he needed was to gather attention to both of them.

However, could he really trust this old lady? Yes, she had helped them before but Sasuke still was suspicious. After all, she still didn't tell her name as if she was hiding something, and previously, she suddenly mysteriously disappeared . . .

"That time . . ." Sasuke hesitated. "You suddenly vanished."

"Is that why you are suspicious of me? Of a frail old lady who just wants to help?" She grinned and Sasuke and Hinata just stayed silent. "Follow me. I'll explain later, when we are inside shelter. Do not worry. The Rain Ninjas won't find you two, because they won't even know the place exists."

Sasuke grimaced and turned to look at Hinata. "So?"

"E-Eh?" She looked back, confused.

"Do you want to follow her or not?"

"W-Why are you asking me?" She asked, surprised that he was asking her to make the decision.

"You are the one being pursued." He glared at her. "And you're the one who needs healing."

She fidgeted nervously and gazed at the old lady again. She did help them before. "I think we should follow her."

Sasuke didn't seem surprised but he asked again to confirm anyway. "You sure?"

Hinata nodded. "Those eyes . . . they seem familiar somehow. I have this feeling that she can be trusted . . ."

"Fine then. If anything happens, I'm holding you accountable though." Sasuke warned, but despite his threat, Hinata smiled. They approached the old lady who simply grinned.

"So?" She asked, her voice gruff as evidence of her age.

"L-Lead the way," Hinata politely requested and the old lady simply smiled again before turning around to lead the way.

Hinata and Sasuke gave each other a glance before following her, silently hoping that this was the right choice.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

The old lady didn't bring them to the old hut she had invited them in before. This was an entirely different hut, still old, but different. For one, it was bigger than the previous hut and both Sasuke and Hinata knew this was an entirely different location.

"Get in first and dry yourself." The old lady told them. "I am going to set up a barrier around this area."

"A barrier?" Hinata asked while Sasuke merely raised his brows.

The old lady didn't explain and did a series of hand seals while mumbling some mantra they could not understand. Sasuke and Hinata watched as blue chakra surrounded the hut and expanded itself all the way to the forest creating some sort of shield. After murmuring a few more words, the old lady turned and smiled.

"You can see the outside the barrier from here, but from the outside, they can't see us." The old lady explained. "Also, the barrier will mask your chakra. Your pursuers won't even know that you're here."

"Who are you, really?" Sasuke eyed her carefully.

The old lady grinned again. "Come on in. I explain everything inside where it is warm and dry. It's not nice to stand in the rain after all."

Sasuke and Hinata listened and entered the old house. Once inside, the old lady gave Sasuke a towel to dry himself while she led Hinata to sit down so that she could check on her wounds.

"This is a bad injury," she murmured softly, "did you get it while you are immobilized?"

"W-Well, somewhat." Hinata answered softly.

The old lady stared deeply into Hinata's eyes and grimaced. "What were you bound to?"

"What?"

"What caused you to be immobilized?"

"W-Well—," She was about to say but was cut off at the sight of the Uchiha's blade, its tip right at the old lady's neck. Her eyes widened in astonishment. "Uchiha-san! What are you doing?!"

"Don't tell her anything yet, Hyuuga." Sasuke frowned. "Not when we still do not know whether she can be trusted or not."

"But she helped us before!" Hinata protested." And she is helping us now!"

"Some enemies will lure their bait with kindness. Look at this place. If she is the enemy, we are trapped here within a barrier where no one can sense us. No one will find us here if anything were to happen. Even if we're dead."

Her eyes widened as she took in those words. No it couldn't be. This old lady had been kind to them. Even if his words do make sense, she didn't want to believe it. "Uchiha-san!"

"You should stop seeing only the good in people, Hyuuga, because reality is not so forgiving. Your kindness and your belief in the good of others will kill you one day." He said out and glared at her coldly as his words pierced her like daggers.

"I-I . . . She . . . B-But . . ." She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't true, that it was all right to believe in the good of others because that was what she chose. She chose to believe that there was still hope in the most dire of situations. However, she was completely tongue tied. Her words wouldn't leave her mouth.

"Must you be so untrusting, Uchiha Sasuke?" The old lady chuckled. "Even of me, a frail old lady who does not even have the strength to fight against your blade?"

"You seem to have the strength to put a barrier around us." Sasuke countered. "Besides, it is hard to differ who to trust and who to not in our current situation. It doesn't kill to be wary."

"I mean no harm to both of you," the old lady said gruffly, "if I do, I would have killed you two already when I had the chance outside."

"Everyone says that. Can you really be trusted?" Sasuke moved the tip of the sword even closer.

"I am just an old lady by the name of Aiko who has been wandering for far too long. And now she's merely trying to guide two young wanderers in order to achieve peace in her final days."

". . . Aiko?" Hinata murmured softly as a memory hit her. "That is . . ."

"You know her, Hyuuga?"

"In the clan, we always learned about the past. They said history will guide the future as the past will teach us not to repeat the same mistake. When we were young, the elders always told us this story about a female Hyuuga from the main house who defied her fate and ran away on the day she was supposed to be betrothed to the new feudal lord of Land of Fire. She ran away before they could implant the seal on her. The clan said, she was later on cursed, barred from returning to Konoha, or the Land of Fire even, and she will roam around seeking a new home and suffer the hardships of life just because she refused to accept her fate. What she did should be served as a lesson for the younger generation not to follow her foul footsteps. The clan said she was a bad example of a Hyuuga and no Hyuuga should try to be like her or they'll suffer the same fate. Her name . . . was Hyuuga Aiko." Hinata paused and gazed at the old lady in front of her. "Are you . . .?"

"It does not matter whether I am that Hyuuga or not for now," the old lady said, "what is more important now is to heal those wounds of yours. If the wound was inflicted because you were bound by what I'm suspecting, it must be treated as soon as possible, or . . . your hands may be immobile forever."

"And what is it that you are suspecting?" Sasuke asked.

"A seal." The old lady answered.

Lowering his sword and putting it away, Sasuke grimaced, staring at Hinata's wounds. "She was immobilized by the Hyuuga seal. They stabbed her hands then. I could only close up the wounds to stop the bleeding, but what damage it has done inside, I do not know."

"You did well in trying to stop the bleeding. If you didn't, it would've been worst. She would have fainted." The old lady smiled at the Uchiha. "There is a small shower in the kitchen. Nothing fancy, but go wash up and dry yourself. Treating her wounds will take a while."

"I-I think you should take a shower, U-Uchiha-san," Hinata voiced out, looking at him worriedly, "If you don't, you might get a fever because of the rain just now . . ."

Sasuke didn't move and merely stared at the old lady warily. She chuckled slightly. "You, Uchiha, really do have trust issues. Don't worry. I am not going to hurt your girlfriend."

"I do not." Sasuke snapped, "And she is not my girlfriend. Say that again and I will really kill you next time."

With that said, the Uchiha made his way to the shower as instructed to wash and dry himself. Once he was out of sight, the old lady grinned at Hinata. "How do you tolerate such a grouchy man?"

"W-Well . . ." Hinata stuttered, wondering how to answer such question.

The old lady chuckled. "You don't have to answer. I was right. Fate did bring you to him."

"W-What?" Hinata looked up at her, confused, but the old lady didn't say anything else and simply smiled as she continued checking on her arms.

"Let's get your hands heal up. It'll be a little painful, so bear with me, young lady." She warned as blue light coated her palms.

Hinata watched as the old lady touched her arms gently, the blue light still coating her palms, before a searing pain passed through her arms. She nearly wanted to scream, but the old lady hushed her with a soothing smile and Hinata immediately felt calm. Hinata then closed her eyes, trying to bear and tolerate the pain, as the grueling healing process begins.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

When Sasuke was finally done, the old lady was still healing Hinata who was closing her eyes in pain. He sat in the corner and quietly observed, his hands ready to wield his sword anytime, just in case the old lady really ended up to be an enemy. However, till now he could not detect any malice from her, thus perhaps he should ease up a bit and trust her . . .

"How is it?" He asked.

"Just a bit more. She'll have to rest her arms for a day. Can't risk an infection."

"Hn."

"Just sit there for a while. I'll prepare a bowl of soup for the two of you once I'm done."

"Y-You don't have to trouble yourself." Hinata told her.

"It's fine. Like I've said before, I rarely have visitors so it's nice to have some companions once in a while," she smiled, "oh and Uchiha, you'll have to feed her."

His eyes immediately widened. "What?"

"She can't move her arms remember?" She grinned.

"You can do it, right?" He glared at the old lady, obviously not finding this amusing at all.

"You want me, a poor old lady with trembling hands, to feed her?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and said nothing else, not bothering to argue anymore. He wasn't in the mood and if he answered and the old lady pissed him off even further, he might really just hurt her. Hinata, who noticed the Uchiha's annoyance, smiled thinly and stopped the old lady before she could say anything else.

"I-It's fine. I'm going to sleep immediately after this, so I do not need to eat."

"Are you sure?" the old lady asked with concern, "food can give you the energy you need."

"It's fine. I think sleep will help me regain my energy as well." Hinata assured. "I'll eat once I can move my arms again."

The old lady looked at her before glaring at the Uchiha who looked rather unperturbed. She sighed and simply continued healing mumbling incoherent words about the younger generation being a stubborn bunch. Fifteen minutes later, she was finally done and Hinata thanked her genuinely, grateful that her wounds are now fully healed and that all she needs now is a good rest.

She was about to turn away when the old lady stopped her and held her forehead. "May I?"

Hinata blinked but soon understood what she was asking for. She nodded meekly and the old lady took this as the sign to inspect the seal. She brushed away the hair covering it to the side and carefully observed the green seal implanted on Hinata's forehead. She touched it tenderly and a frown soon was marred on her face.

"W-What's wrong?" Hinata asked, noticing her wrong.

"Nothing," she smiled wryly and stood up, "you should rest now. I prepared the mattress over there. Rest well, Hyuuga Hinata."

She said nothing else and entered the kitchen and Hinata was left to wonder what was wrong. However, she was too tired to find out, hence she just made her way to the mattress the old lady pointed at and laid down. She soon closed her eyes hoping sleep would take her soon as she just wanted to escape from her current situation for a while.

At the corner, Sasuke continued to observe quietly. Once he was sure that Hinata had fully fallen asleep, he stood up and made his way to the kitchen. Noticing the old lady's expression just now, he could tell that there was something she wasn't telling, something she realized and knew right after inspecting the seal.

And whatever it was, Sasuke was going to find out.


	9. Chapter 9

As you know in the recent manga chapter, one beloved character was killed. In this story though, that beloved character is still alive as when I first published this, the beloved character was still alive in the manga and I am no psychic to guess that the beloved character will soon die.

So to readers who read this fic and get upset because the beloved character is still here hence making the events unreal, please note the publish date of this fic before spamming reviews about the beloved character being dead during the war so he shouldn't be here after the war.

This is a fanfic. I am trying to make it as canon-like as possible - but it is impossible to write a fanfic while trying to really follow the official events of the manga, especially when the events of the fanfic occurs years after the events of the manga.

I can't suddenly rewrite everything just because one character died in the manga. ( and for the fact that I have already draft out all the chapters till the end, it will be a painful process to rewrite everything)

So please understand.

And now, let us mourn the death of that beloved character. (I'm not putting the name because well, I know some of you are not up to date with the manga chapters, so I don't want it to be a spoiler. Though I think this is already a spoiler.)

RIP beloved character. :(

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 9**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX and Opensoul**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing.**

* * *

"This is really troublesome."

Staring at the letter at hand, Shikamaru sighed and grumbled to himself as he read the content. As the ambassador of Konoha, he was mostly in charge of foreign relations, meaning Shikamaru was the main man other villages would approach first before they could talk and meet with the Hokage personally. In simple words, outsiders would have to go through him first before they could talk to Naruto. He didn't say that he loved this job. In fact he found it mostly troublesome; however he still did it anyway, because Naruto was the one who personally told him that he was the only suitable for this position.

Apparently to Naruto, he was the ultimate genius of the village despite being lazy. He was the brain of the village; hence Naruto believed that Shikamaru would definitely be able to detect secret schemes beforehand. Fair enough, Naruto was right. He had caught and stopped a number of outsiders who were plotting to create problems. Most of them were mostly Danzo's previous supporters outside the village who thought that Naruto was too young to be a leader and wanted to get him off the position. Of course their schemes failed as the moment Shimakaru discovered their plans, he was more than happy to send them to Ibiki who would 'quietly' deal with them and he wouldn't have to bother with them anymore and just nap somewhere.

Although he looked uninterested most of the time, Shikamaru actually did his job seriously. After all, he loves his village and if there are any forms of threats, even minor ones, he's damn sure that he'll try to put a stop to it before it becomes Naruto's burden. Shikamaru always reminded himself that it was his part as the ambassador, and as a friend, to reduce the load Naruto was having. Being a Hokage wasn't an easy job after all . . .

However now, it was a completely different story as the situation he was in now definitely involved Naruto and there was no way he could solve this problem without the Hokage knowing. After all, this letter from the Hidden Rain sent officially to him – the ambassador - an announcement of an official visit of their Lord to Konoha – and an indirect declaration of war.

_"We, the Hidden Rain, hereby send this letter to the ambassador of Konohagakure that our Lord will arrive in Konohagakure in two days with the intentions to discuss with the Hokage – Uzumaki Naruto, regarding Lady of Amegakure and the former heir of the Hyuuga Clan, Hyuuga Hinata. Let it be warned that the Lord is in a volatile mood and if the discussion does not produce a satisfying outcome, we will not hesitate to cut our ties with Konoha and act accordingly_."

Shikamaru didn't have to read the rest of the letter to infer the meaning. Seeing the terms _'cutting ties'_ and _'act accordingly'_ was enough for him to figure that this was an indirect declaration of war. It doesn't matter how the discussion with Naruto would go because the Hidden Rain had already planned that the outcome will be unsatisfying. In other words, Shikamaru could infer that the intentions of the Hidden Rain was to cut their ties to begin with, but they could not do it so hastily. They needed a 'reason' and Naruto would be a reason. Knowing that Naruto was still a young leader and could still have temperament issues despite already matured accordingly, the Lord of Amegakure could just say something, make Naruto unintentionally snap, and they would then have their reason to cut their ties with Konoha.

The treaty Hidden Rain shared with the Hidden Leaf was one reason why the two villages couldn't touch each other even if Hidden Rain occasionally pissed them off. The treaty was created to prevent conflict and war. Cutting all ties would make the treaty useless and after that, the Hidden Rain would be able to 'act accordingly' as they had stated.

Fair enough, Konoha could act as well, but knowing Naruto, and many of the high ranking shinobis including himself, would try to avoid conflict and direction confrontation as much as possible. After all, war would bring nothing but misery and the ones who suffer the most are usually the innocent villagers who do not have the power to fight and could only pray that their leader would do the wise thing.

Shimakaru frowned knowing that this situation was complicated. This was not the usual situation where he could simply send the culprit to Ibiki and let him deal with it. This was a situation which required thinking, and careful planning, as one wrong move could lead to and start a war.

His grimace deepened at the thought of another war. Konoha was not yet ready for another war, not when many of them have yet to fully heal from the previous one. Too many had died and the old wounds still lingered—including his. Shikamaru rather not have them reopen so soon by having more lives killed.

He really had to deal with this carefully. First, he would need to tell Naruto about this and discuss it with him. He would need to warn Naruto to react accordingly and not let his anger get over his emotions. At that thought, Shikamaru wasted no time and made his way quickly to the Hokage office.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"Naruto . . ." Sai called out worriedly as he observed the Hokage doing his paperwork diligently. This had been the norm lately where Naruto had been strangely hardworking. This worries Sai because he knows Naruto well. He knows that even if Naruto is the Hokage now, he still retains his intrinsic personality – laziness. The normal Naruto would probably push his paperwork aside until it clogs and he would then force himself to spend all-nighters trying to finish them off. The normal Naruto wouldn't sit back and actually do his work diligently like now. This Naruto obviously has something on his mind and this Naruto was beginning to worry Sai because he hadn't slept for days, choosing to engross himself in his paperwork and staring at the window as if waiting for something.

This Naruto has also been pushing everyone away. Whenever he entered to ask about his well-being out of concern, Naruto would only reply with a word or two. Whenever Sakura came to visit and brought him lunch worried over the fact that Naruto wasn't eating—not even his favourite Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto merely smiled weakly and told her that he wasn't hungry. When Lee visited and requested for a challenge – a race – where Sai knew that Lee's motif was to lighten the mood and cheer Naruto up, Naruto politely rejected him saying that he had a lot of work to do. The normal Naruto would have gladly accepted the challenge to escape his work. It didn't help that Naruto had been spacing out during meeting lately, forcing Sai to ask Kakashi-sensei to be with him during the meetings knowing that Naruto's mind was elsewhere. With all these signs, it was completely obvious that their Hokage wasn't being himself.

"Naruto . . ." Sai called out again and this time he did manage to get his friend's attention. Naruto hesitantly looked up, his tired eyes obvious by the dark circles underneath them glared at his assistant.

"Do you need anything, Sai?" He asked despairingly.

Sai took a deep breath and exhale, trying to maintain his calm demeanor before answering. "You need rest, Naruto. You should go home and sleep."

"I'm perfectly fine, Sai," he let out a weak grin, "I'm not tired yet."

"Not tired?" Sai frowned. "You have been cooped in this office for three days, Naruto. It's not good for your health."

""I'm perfectly fine, Sai!" Naruto snapped, "If you have nothing else important to tell me, you're dismissed."

Sai didn't move, clearly unperturbed by his friend's snappish behaviour. He knows Naruto was hurt deep within and he just has to knock some sense into him.

"What are you standing there for? I've dismissed you." Naruto grumbled, sitting back at his desk and continued on his paperwork.

"Hinata-san wouldn't want this." Sai said, eyeing Naruto carefully as he stiffened at his words.

"I'm doing this for her."

"No you're not. You're doing this for yourself. You're doing this because of your guilt, your guilt of not being there for her when she needs help her the most. This isn't for her Naruto, it's for you." Sai told him off. "If you really care for Hinata-san, Naruto, you should care for yourself first because Hinata-san wouldn't want to see her dear Naruto completely messed up because of her."

"Am I . . ." Naruto hesitated. ". . . still dear to her?"

"Yes you are. You will always be. Even if—" Sai paused and Naruto looked up at him. "Even if her feelings for you have indeed been buried within the past two years she was sent away, you will still be dear to her as a friend because that's how Hinata-san is. I may not know Hinata-san well as you and the others but I know she holds everyone in the village dear to her, especially you – the one who had been the source of her inspiration and motivation."

"Sai . . ."

"I know Hinata-san wouldn't want you to act like this because this is not how Naruto would act. The Naruto she admires would never give up no matter what. That Naruto would continue to believe even if it's impossible. That Naruto is stubborn and will follow his ideals even if everyone is against him. Where is the Naruto who continued to try to bring Sasuke back to the village even when he failed the first time? Where is that Naruto who strive to protect all his friends? Where is that spirit? Or is it because Hinata-san isn't as important to him?"

"That's bullshit! Hinata is important to me!" Naruto countered.

"Then show it! You have sent Kiba and Shino but while they are trying their best searching for Hinata out there, you are locking yourself up here wallowing in self-pity. Is that fair? The real Naruto wouldn't sit here and do nothing else. The Naruto that all of us protected in the war, especially Hinata-san, would not sit here and lock himself in the office looking as if it's the end of the world! The village isn't going to run itself, Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes widened, his expression shell shocked as he absorbed Sai's words.

"Let us in." Sai pleaded and Naruto looked up at him in confusion. "Tell us your worries. Confide in us, in me, or any other person you trust—your friends. We'll listen because isn't that what friends do? Tell us your worries Naruto. Let us share your burden with you. It hurt us all to see the heart of the village feeling down. You're our friend, Naruto and so is Hinata-san. You're not alone in this, Naruto, so stop pushing us away and let us help you."

Naruto blinked, Sai's words still processing in his head. Sai was right. He was indeed pushing them away and as a result, he was making them worry unnecessarily. Sai was worried whenever he told him to go and rest. Sakura was concern about his health when she brought him lunch knowing he hasn't eaten. Lee cared for his well-being which is why he offered the challenge to cheer him up, but he ended up pushing him away as well. Kakashi-sensei cared, or else why would he bother wasting his time listening to a meeting that didn't involve him when he could use that time to do something he liked?

Naruto grimaced. He had been selfish, purely selfish. His friends cared and they were affected by Hinata's situation as well just like him, but instead of showing it and letting it affect them, they decided to give him support and try their best to boost his morale up. However, instead of embracing their help, he had pushed them away and wallowed in self-pity. His actions had made his friends worry and it had also affected the village as their leader wasn't in the right state of mind to do his job properly. At that thought, Naruto clenched his fists. What kind of Hokage was he?

He looked up, meeting Sai's gaze, who still seemed calm despite the anger in his tone as he told him off. They glared at each other for a few minutes and then Naruto smiled, causing Sai to blink.

"Sai," Naruto uttered, "Thank you."

Sai continued on blinking not knowing how to react all of a sudden. "Ah well . . ."

"You're right. I shouldn't sit here and wallow in self-pity. I should suck it up and deal with it. While Kiba and Shino are searching for her, I should do something here in case something terrible happen. No . . . we should do something because as you have said, all of us are in this together."

Sai smiled, a sincere smile this time. "That's right, Naruto."

"For someone who barely knows emotion, you really talked some sense into me, yeah?" Naruto grinned before turning serious again. "But what should we do first . . ."

Sai pondered and thought about it. "Maybe we should discreetly investigate the Lord of Hidden Rain . . . There is something off about him from the day I first saw him."

"You're right . . ." Naruto agreed. "He emits this creepy vibe . . . and strangely familiar too . . ."

"If you want, I can set up a team now to start the investigation." Sai offered.

Naruto was about to answer, but paused and stared at the door instead.

"Naruto?"

"A bug just entered below the door." Naruto mumbled.

Sai blinked, turned to look at the door and saw a bug, now two, three and more and more entering from the hole below.

"Scratch that! Hundreds of bugs are invading my office!" Naruto yelled and jumped onto his chair.

"I think they belong to Shino." Sai examined the bugs, but his eyes widened as Naruto was already being swarmed by them, covering him completely.

"Naruto!"

At that moment, the door swung open. "Naruto, we have a situation—" Shikamaru barged in only to see the Hokage being completely invaded by insects.

"What the hell is going on?" Shikamaru gaped, looking at Sai.

"It seems like bugs are invading Naruto . . ." Sai replied nonchalantly.

"I can see that." Shikamaru rubbed his temples. "I mean, why aren't you driving the insects away?"

"Because they belong to Shino. I think he is trying to convey a message." Sai explained.

"Like _that_?" Shikamaru pointed at Naruto who was now completely covered by the insects. Not one flesh of skin was seen.

Sai shrugged. "Shino has always had strange ways . . . to convey things."

Shikamaru sighed knowing Sai was right. The bug user had always been downright mysterious. Even when he had known Shino longer than Sai, he still couldn't understand him sometimes. That man was completely in a different world. Hence, Shikamaru and Sai waited till Shino's insects crawled away, giving Naruto some space to breathe. When that finally happened, they noticed Naruto's eyes which was expressing relief, but more to shock. At that moment, both Shikamaru and Sai knew that Shino had indeed told him something.

"Naruto?"

Naruto panted and gasped for air, but his eyes were still portraying disbelief.

"Naruto, what was it?"

"It's a message . . . from Shino." He managed to utter out.

Looking at his face right now, they had a feeling that the message wasn't pleasant. Or else why would his face be so stricken? Was it too late? Did they fail to save Hinata?

"Did they find her?" Sai asked.

Naruto shook his head. "They lost the trail, but they overhead some Rain ninja's conversation . . . Hinata is still alive. She was attacked by Rain Ninjas but was saved. The Rain Ninjas were killed and . . ."

"And?" Shikamaru inquired, knowing that the 'and' was the part which was causing Naruto act this way."

"Sasuke was the one who killed them."

As he took in those words, Shikamaru knew exactly why Naruto looked the way he was now. Uchiha Sasuke saved Hinata by killing some Rain Ninjas; the Uchiha Sasuke—the village traitor, avenger and the criminal who was only pardoned by the other villages because of Naruto and Gaara's persuasion and was allowed to roam free as long as he wouldn't cause troubles.

However, by killing ninjas from the Hidden Rain who is an ally to the rest of the Hidden Villages, he has definitely caused trouble and if the other villages find out about this, Sasuke's freedom could be taken away from him.

And even his life.

He hasn't even informed Naruto about the new letter from the Hidden Rain and now this new situation has arose. Shikamaru frowned.

Things had definitely become even more troublesome.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXx**

The old lady stirred the soup deep in her thought, but completely aware of the presence lurking in the shadows. She knows she was being watched, but she didn't bother to call him out and rather him appear in front of her on his own accord to ask whatever that was on his mind. However, when his gaze became unnerving and he made no sign to appear, the old lady heaved out a sigh.

"You can come in you know. I know you're watching me, Uchiha."

Sasuke didn't bother to hide anymore and made his presence known, but he was still staring.

"Geez, do you distrust me so much?"

"What do you know?" Sasuke dropped the bomb.

The old lady stopped stirring. "What do you mean?"

"The seal." Sasuke grimaced. "I saw your expression. You know something. What is it?"

"Why? Are you worried?" She eyed him carefully. Sasuke didn't answer and she chuckled. "When I was your age, the Uchiha clan and the Hyuuga clan were great rivals. We couldn't even look into the eye of the other despite being in the same village. I'm glad to be blessed with such a long life to see a Hyuuga and an Uchiha being friends."

"I don't think you can classify our relationship as friends," Sasuke uttered, "We're just stuck in this situation, that's all."

"Still, you're helping her on your own free will. You had the chance to escape and leave her alone, but you didn't. You chose to help her. That's something." The old lady smiled and scooped some of the soup into a bowl and passed it to Sasuke. "Soup?"

"Thanks." He murmured and took it.

She smiled again and walked out of the kitchen. Sasuke followed. "Is she asleep?"

He sighed and went to check on Hinata. Her eyes were shut and her breathing was even. She looked content. He felt her soft chakra and she didn't wake up when he flicked her forehead, thus he could safely assumed that she was peacefully asleep without nightmares this time.

"She's asleep." Sasuke mumbled and looked back at the old lady who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Drink the soup. I'll tell you about the seal." She said but Sasuke merely stared at the bowl of soup warily. The old lady sighed. "Drink it. I didn't poison it young man. Do you distrust me that much?"

Knowing that the old lady wouldn't begin till he at least took a sip, and slightly convinced that it wasn't poisoned, Sasuke drank the soup, silently feeling grateful that she had prepared something to fill his empty stomach.

"It's different," she suddenly uttered in the midst when he was drinking. Sasuke immediately looked up.

"Different?" He raised his brows questioningly. "How do you know?"

"Have you seen the Hyuuga seal before?"

Sasuke tried to recall. He hadn't fought many Hyuugas before, and none of them ever exposed the seal before. He did saw Neji's seal once in the academy. Even if it had been long time ago, the Uchihas were always blessed with good memories, thus he could recall vividly how the seal looks like.

"Yea. It looks like an X."

The old lady nodded. "That's the Hyuuga seal marked on every branch member, to remind them of their position and their duty to protect the main house. That seal served to protect the Byakugan's secrets when the Hyuuga died. It also allows the main house to be in control. When activated, the seal will destroy the wearer's brain cell, but it will not lead to much harm to the body. Its affects are not major. After a while, the wearer will regain control of his body again, but the activation of the seal would have taken much of his chakra so he wouldn't have the energy to fight back . . . But Hinata's seal . . . has four circles in between the triangular space."

"What's the difference?"

"The one who activated her seal wasn't a Hyuuga, right?" She asked, and Sasuke nodded. The old lady smiled bitterly. "As I've expected . . ."

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, rather impatient now as the old lady was beating around the bush.

"The Hyuuga clan isn't stupid to teach an outsider how to activate the curse seal that can control their branch members. They wouldn't dare, but they taught them how to activate Hinata's seal anyway. Why? Because her seal is different from the rest. The hand signs used to activate Hinata's seal is different from the hand signs use to activate the normal Hyuuga seal . . . and that seal if activated too many times . . ." the old lady hesitated, " . . . will ultimately kill her."

His eyes widened slightly before his face turned neutral again, a frown now marred on him. Silence lingered between them and Sasuke stood up and walked over to Hinata to check on her again. When he was really sure that she was still asleep, he walked back to the old lady and glared at her.

"Explain." Sasuke demanded.

The old lady looked down, her eyes sad. "Long ago, when the branch members were out of control, the elders demand the creation of the seal. The seal, to frighten the branch members into obeying, was combined with a poisonous jutsu. When activated, it not only destroys the wearer's brain cells, but it will emit poison into the wearer's chakra. If activated constantly, the poison will accumulate and the poison will soon completely fill the wearer's chakra, stopping his organs from functioning, burning his insides before ultimately killing the wearer. It'll be a slow and painful death . . . However, the seal was too life threatening, so a new one was created, hence the current seal. Evidence of the old seal were passed to the elders and destroyed."

"But it wasn't destroyed , wasn't it?" Sasuke uttered coldly knowing where this was heading.

"You're right. It wasn't. Because the seal on Hinata's forehead now is that very first cursed seal invented," the old lady mumbled, "the seal that will eventually lead to her death . . ."

Silence lingered between them as tension increased. This didn't affect him, it didn't at all, but Sasuke felt angry. How could the Hyuuga clan create such a seal and mark them on others as if they were tools? How could they treat people like tools? It reminded him of how Itachi was used to annihilate his entire clan who was supposedly trying to start a civil war. It reminded him of Madara's manipulation and how he tried to create the 'perfect world' by making everyone his puppets and this reminded him of his hatred to Konoha, how Danzo and the elders' decision caused his entire clan to get wiped out. It was making him bitter. It was making him angry, and he felt like lashing at something, unleash this anger to the authorities who used others as tools . . .

Sasuke inwardly laughed to himself. He was still a bitter person. He still despised Konoha and he still hadn't forgiven them for the destruction of his clan. He still hates higher ups—the elders especially, who treat others like tools and now listening the creation of the old Hyuuga seal just intensify his hatred because he realized nothing has changed. From the very start, shinobis had been manipulating each other, just like how Danzo used Itachi, and how Madara manipulated him. Nothing has changed. Everything was the same, and if nothing around him has changed, how can he, one who has committed atrocities, achieved the peace he seeks?

He can't, because everything around him will just remind him of his past, his sins, his hatred, his anger, his . . .

"How do you know all this?" He managed to say out, but the anger was obvious in his tone.

The old lady looked down, as if ashamed. "Because I was the one who created it."

Sasuke's eyes widened, the anger clearly seen. Now, he didn't even care if this woman in front of him was old and fragile. "Why?"

"Back then, as the main house member, you had to obey the elders. If you didn't, it meant death." The old lady whispered.

"So you created a seal that will kill others to save yourself." Sasuke snapped.

"It wasn't like that. My intention was never to kill anyone. That's why I created the second seal, and destroyed the evidence of the first."

"But it wasn't destroyed." Sasuke glared at her.

"I never thought the Hyuuga clan would keep it . . ." the old lady whispered, "Uchiha Sasuke, you must help Hyuuga Hinata. You must protect her."

"Why? So that you can live your final days in peace knowing that the only person marked with the deadly seal you invented is safe?"

She frowned. "No, so that she won't suffer for the mistakes the past generation did."

"It isn't my problem."

The old lady smiled sadly. "I am too old to do anything. For 100 years I roamed around, but I was never at peace. I never know the reason why but now I do. Because a deadly seal I invented is being used and is slowly killing an innocent woman. I know, if she dies, I'll never attain that peace, and even if I am to pass away, my soul can never move on because I could not atone for that mistake I made. Do you know that feeling, Uchiha?"

Sasuke stayed silent. He wouldn't say that he know the feeling completely, but he could at least understand a bit. After all, he was wandering himself, trying to atone for the crimes he committed and escape his past, hoping to attain some sort of peace. However, after two years, he still found nothing, and he didn't want to imagine how the old lady felt like for a 100 years.

And now, he was stuck in this situation because he chose to save the Hyuuga. Even if he wanted to escape now, he couldn't because he knew the Rain Ninjas had seen him. Even if he had killed all those trying to catch her previously, more were coming towards them before he escaped with her and he wasn't surprised if some of them had detected his chakra and realized that he was involved. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with the Hyuuga.

However, he was Uchiha Sasuke. He wouldn't be caught easily. He could just leave her here and continued on his wandering journey seeking for his peace and pretend all this never happened. Leave the Hyuuga to suffer here and continue on with his life. But would he be able to attain the peace he was seeking if he abandons someone in need now?

Sasuke grimaced. Obviously not. The reason why he started travelling in the first place was to seek peace, to atone for the atrocities he had committed and one way to atone is to help others.

If he was going to atone for his sins, why not start by helping the Hyuuga? It'll be a painful process since her situation was definitely major, but maybe after saving her, just maybe . . .

Sasuke had made his choice.

But then, how can he - only one man - protect a woman against an entire village and perhaps, even her own clan?

"Is there a village nearby?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

"Why?"

"I'm leaving."

The old lady's shoulders slumped at his answer. "There is a small village a mile from here . . ."

"Hn. Thanks." Sasuke mumbled and walked to the door.

"She can't defend herself, Uchiha."

"I know."

"Then why are you still leaving her?"

"She can't defend herself, that's why I'm going to a village." Sasuke answered vaguely causing the old lady to look at him confused. Sasuke sighed, before explaining. "I'm only one person. I can protect, her, but there are still chances of the enemy getting her. It'll be easier if she can protect herself as well."

"I do not comprehend."

"Hyuugas are good at close range techniques. Locking chakra points, taijutsu . . . those techniques require the user to be close to the enemy. However, the enemy knows how to activate the seal. Hinata can't afford to be close to the enemy. Even if she tries to attack, the enemy will probably activate her seal before she could hit them." Sasuke frowned. "I do not know how many times the seal has already been activated, but since the seal could kill her, I rather not risk them activating it again."

The old lady rubbed her chin and pondered over his words. "That's true. She can't use the normal Hyuuga techniques against them now that they know how to activate her seal. If that's the case, she completely won't be able to fight."

"Not exactly. She not's completely hopeless. She has the Byakugan." Sasuke added.

The old lady blinked before grinning widely as realization dawned upon her. "Are you going to . . . ?"

Sasuke nodded. "That's why I need to go the a village. It's the only place to get it."

"Then go. Do what you need to do. I'll take care of her here. The barrier will mask her presence as well. We'll be safe." The old lady grinned. "But be careful though. Don't let any enemies follow you and find this place."

Sasuke didn't answer. He merely nodded in acknowledgment and then with speed like lightning, he was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

It seems like many of you didn't get what Sasuke was up to in the last chapter. Well, that means I am successful. But of course, there are those who got it so you guys deserve a standing ovation. Ahaha xD. Fast updates lately because semester breaks are awesome.

Thanks for the reviews and alerts!

Have a Merry Christmas to all those celebrating! Enjoy the holidays!

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 10**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing.**

* * *

Shikamaru and Sai didn't have to guess that Naruto was currently extremely confused and maybe upset even. The way his blue eyes flickered with a mixture of emotions, they knew that a lot of things were in the Hokage's mind right now.

"Why . . ." Naruto finally spoke. "Why is Sasuke involved in this?!"

"Relax Naruto. There must be a reason for this." Shikamaru reasoned out.

"But he's supposed to be wandering looking for peace. Why is he . . ." Naruto couldn't complete his sentence, but they knew what he wanted to say. After leaving the village and cutting all contacts with Konoha for two years, why suddenly appear now in such a situation? Why did he kill when he finally achieved his freedom?

"Perhaps it is to protect, Hinata-san." Sai offered his opinion as it's the only viable conclusion he could come up with.

"Perhaps . . ." Naruto mumbled. "But the other villages may not see it like that. They may think that he would have broken the truce! Then they would . . ."

"Relax Naruto," Shikamaru grimaced, "I don't think the situation is as simple as that."

"Sasuke killed again, Shikamaru! Of course it's not simple! They will hunt him again!"

"Goddammit Naruto! It seems like you stop using your head ever since Hinata was sent away." Shikamaru snapped. "The Kages aren't so shallow minded. Some will sense that something is off."

"Off?"

"Why would Sasuke kill again when he was finally allowed to roam free? No, why did he kill _only _ Rain Ninjas? As far as we know, Sasuke didn't harm anyone else, except Rain Ninjas. The Kages will find this suspicious. Why only the Hidden Rain? Something must be up. At least, I believe that the Mizukage and Kazekage will try to investigate further. The Tsuchikage is getting too old, so he might just quietly observe." Shikamaru explained. "But, I won't be surprised if the Raikage would easily agree on punishing Sasuke. He does bear a grudge on him after all, but that's where you can come in, right Naruto?"

"Eh?"

Shikamaru sighed. "You can talk to Killer B to try to appease his brother. At least that would buy us time. Besides, there is something else you should be worried about."

"What is it?"

Shikamaru frowned and handed Naruto the letter. The Hokage immediately read it and his eyes widened at the content.

"This is . . ."

"An indirect declaration of war." Shikamaru explained. "If you read between the lines."

However Naruto seemed to be concern about another thing. "That bastard is coming to our village?!"

"That's _what_ you're worried about?" Shikamaru raised his eyebrows.

"I can't stand his face." Naruto answered childishly. "I really can't!"

"Well you better have to, because if you upset him apparently, he will take actions accordingly and cut all ties. We can't risk another conflict."

"I know that, Shikamaru," Naruto smiled knowing that his friend still had yet to healed from the previous war. "I'm the Hokage remember? I know how to control my emotions!"

"That's what I'm worried about." Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Naruto pouted.

"It's all right. I trust you Naruto. All of us do and we always have."

Naruto ginned before his expression turned serious once more. "Since that creepy lord is visiting, there must be a reason. I fear he had already found out about Sasuke's involvement and is coming here to threaten us." Naruto grimaced. "In that case, Sasuke and Hinata need all the help they need . . ."

"What do you want to do?" Sai questioned.

Naruto thought about it. "Shikamaru, send a letter to Suna. Inform the Kazekage about Hinata's situation and Sasuke's involvement. Knowing Gaara, he would immediately understand what he has to do . . . Also tell them about the Hidden Rain. If things go awry, we would need an ally and Hidden Sand could be the first step. However, whether they want to help us, it is up to them, but just inform them anyway . . . If that were to happen, I'll persuade Killer B to appease the Raikage and maybe we have to ask the Mizukage for help as well . . ."

"Knowing Gaara, he'll probably help out. You are his friend, and Hinata is his friend as well. I'll doubt he will reject your request." Shikamaru stated.

"A Hokage needs to plan ahead, ne?" Naruto grinned. "Oh and Sai."

"Yes?"

"Any way you can track where Shino's bugs came from?"

"I think there are some ways . . ." Sai answered.

"Good. Once you have discovered their location, send them a message. Tell them not to come back yet. Continue to search for Hinata, but discreetly. Mask their chakra if possible. If they find her and Sasuke, don't confront them."

Sai blinked. "Why?"

"I would like to believe that Sasuke is not hurting Hinata, so there's no reason to confront him . . ." Naruto told him, "But since the Hidden Rain and the Hyuuga clan is still after them, they need the support and Kiba and Shino could be their well . . ." Naruto scratched his head and grinned. ". . . silent guardian angels or something."

"Ah watching them from afar." Sai voiced out. "All right. I'll search for their location."

"Good. Now I'm going to head out a bit."

"Where are you going?" Sai asked.

"To clear my head and calm my emotions." Naruto answered with a frown. "Before I face that bastard."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxX**

Hinata stirred at the sound of chirping birds. She wished she could sleep longer, but she could feel the heat on her skin due to the morning rays shone on her. She knew then it was time to wake up. Even if she tried to go to sleep again, she wouldn't be able to because her stomach was grumbling, rather loudly in fact.

It dawned upon her that she hadn't eaten at all – not even a sip of water – ever since Sasuke saved her from the Rain ninjas. She had been sleeping most of the time; right after Sasuke healed her to close up her wounds, till now where she completely passed out after the old lady treated her wounds. At least the sleep had helped her regain her energy and chakra, but it still didn't deny the fact that she was extremely hungry now, malnourished even. As her hunger became unbearable, Hinata forced herself to open her eyes, squinting slightly due to the morning rays. She looked around the old hut trying to clear her semi-dazed mind.

"You're awake," a feminine gruff voice was heard and Hinata's head immediately snapped back up, meeting the pale white eyes similar to hers.

"Y-Yes I am," she answered politely, a slight blush covering her cheeks.

"Had a good rest?" The old lady asked and Hinata nodded shyly. "Your arms?"

Recalling that she couldn't move her arms before this, Hinata immediately tried to feel her arms. She raised them up, and smiled widely when she could feel her muscles tensing. Whatever the old lady did when she healed her, it worked because she could definitely move them again now. "I-I can move them!" she said happily. "T-Thank you!"

The old lady grinned glad that she was livelier now. She was extremely pale and nearly lifeless before she had that sleep. It seemed like the sleep had indeed helped her get her energy back as she had said. She smiled at the thought when she suddenly heard a strange grumbling noise. Hinata immediately blushed and the old lady had to suppress her laughter the moment she realized what was making that noise.

"Do you want something to eat?" She offered.

"Yes please!" Hinata replied a bit too eagerly and her face immediately turned bright red when she realized her lack of manners. "I-I mean, if it's not a trouble for you . . ."

The old lady chuckled. "Of course it's no trouble my dear. Sit back and relax here for a while I prepare for you. You can look around if you want."

Hinata mumbled a soft thank you before the old lady disappeared into the kitchen. She took this time to look around the old house. It was rather plain, a bit dusty even, and no matter how she looked at it, this place emitted a lonely vibe. It was obvious that the old lady stayed here alone, and that she didn't really have much strength to beautify the hut she lived in. Hinata wondered how it felt to stay here all by herself, hidden from the outside world, without any visitors to keep her company.

She couldn't imagine how lonely it must have felt.

Questions filled her mind as she continued to look around. Why was she living alone? Why was she wandering by herself? Was she the Hyuuga Aiko, one the clan always talked about as a bad example? If so, why did she run away? Why did she choose this life, away from her friends, family, village and everything else dear to her?

She continued to ponder in her own thoughts when she nearly fell flat on her face after accidentally tripping on something. Wondering what it was, she turned around and realized it was a sword. Thank goodness the blade was sheathed. Or else, tripping on it might have cut her legs. Hinata silently cursed herself for being clumsy. She really needed to be aware of her surroundings more. She could not afford to get clumsily injured, not when her recent injuries just only healed.

Not wanting anyone else to trip on it – especially the old lady— Hinata picked it up and allowed it to rest against the wall. It was at closer inspection that Hinata recognized the sword. It was familiar. The sword belongs to Sasuke.

_Uchiha-san._

As the raven haired man entered her thoughts, Hinata immediately stood up and looked around her surroundings. She was only aware now that she hadn't seen the Uchiha ever since she woke up and she couldn't sense his chakra anywhere near either. Has he left? Has he decided not to get involve and leave her? That would be a good choice. Hinata rather not let him involved especially when his freedom was at stake. . .

However, his sword and all of his belongings are still here, which means he couldn't have left. He must have gone somewhere, but without his weapon? That could be dangerous. She knows Sasuke would be capable of fighting even without his sword. Heck, he was more that capable to kill by just using his hands, but Hinata couldn't help but to feel worried. The Rain Ninjas are still out there and if they finally realized that he was helping her, they might hunt him down and he would be outnumbered and without his sword . . .

"What are you thinking about?" The old lady suddenly appeared with a bowl of broth and some bread at hand.

Hinata blinked and stared at Sasuke's belongings again. "W-Where is Uchiha-san?"

"He had gone to a nearby village to . . . run some errands. Don't worry, he'll come back." The old lady answered vaguely but she noticed the worry in Hinata's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"He didn't bring his sword . . ."

"You are worried." It wasn't a question. It was a statement and hearing it, Hinata didn't bother to hide it.

"T-The enemies are still out there . . ."

To her surprise, the old lad laughed. "Hyuuga Hinata, do not worry so much. He's an Uchiha. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. His strength supersedes most ninjas anyway."

"That's true but . . ."

"You should worry about yourself more and eat. Regain more strength. If you are really worried, then eat it for him." the old lady said. "After all, the only reason why he left for the nearby village is for you"

"E-Eh?" Hinata looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

The old lady grinned. "You'll see."

Knowing that old lady wouldn't tell her anything more, Hinata started eating. However, her thoughts continued to stray towards a certain Uchiha. The old lady said he would be fine and Hinata knew he really would, but anything could happen, right? Not wanting to think the worst, Hinata silently prayed that he would indeed return safely as she ate.

**xXXxXXXXXxXXxXXx**

With speed like lightning, Sasuke leaped through the forest ensuring that he remained undetected. He had long gone beyond the old lady's barrier which meant enemies could sense him now if they are nearby. He knew he must be careful, but not that he would let himself get caught easily.

He continued leaping from tree to tree, choosing to go through a more secluded route than the open one. It was longer and more confusing than the normal route, but he didn't really mind. While he was sure that he wouldn't get caught easily, it wouldn't kill to be more careful. The last thing he needed was to have the enemy noticing where he came from, which would lead them directly to Hinata. That wouldn't be good.

After a series of turns, the village was finally in his line of sight. He smirked and without wasting any more time, he entered the village, hoping to find the thing he was looking for as soon as possible so that he could head back quickly as time was not on his side now. He only had the days till the barrier lasted – which was about five more days at least, to do it.

He searched for the merchant, passing through artisans, spice traders, but not the merchant he was looking for. Every village he had been to always had one, so why couldn't he find the bloody weapons' merchant now? Slightly frustrated, Sasuke went deeper into the village, a tiny little voice in head telling him that this kind of activity usually occurs in the 'darker' side of the village.

After a few minutes of search, he finally found the merchant in the eastern part of the village sharpening some swords. Their eyes met, and Sasuke knew the merchant recognized him, as evident as how he hid some weapons in him as he saw Sasuke approaching. He was the notable Uchiha Sasuke after all, feared by many villages before and maybe still was.

"Can I help you, sir?" The merchant eyed him warily.

Sasuke could sense more presence lurking in the shadows but he pretended to be oblivious to it. Instead, he asked, "Who am I dealing with?"

"Ryuu the blacksmith at your service sir . . ." He introduced himself and took a knife to strike him.

Sasuke immediately dodged the attack. At the same time, ten more men appeared from the shadows attempting to attack him, but they were no match for his speed. With ease, Sasuke evaded their strikes, standing on top of a building now, his Sharingan now activated as his red eyes glared at his attackers threateningly.

"I am not here to look for trouble." Sasuke calmly said while eyeing them carefully.

"Then why is the famous Uchiha Sasuke here?" The blacksmith, Ryuu, sneered, "The Uchiha Sasuke who has killed many. I've heard of you and your deeds. What else would you be here than to create havoc in this peaceful village?!"

Sasuke grimaced as the men attacked again. They were throwing daggers at him now, but he skillfully dodged them. He didn't have his sword with him now and he was thankful that he actually left it back at the hut because he had no intention to kill them. However, he feared with his sword, he might succumb to his temptation to just slash them because they were beginning to piss him off.

Nevertheless, even without his sword, he could still easily outmatch them. His speed surpasses them all rendering their attacks useless. They tried to strike him with swords, throw daggers and shurikens at him, but Sasuke easily avoided them all.

"Why aren't you fighting back?!" Ryuu yelled and continued his attacks which again, Sasuke evaded. His men were having the same problems as well.

"You and I have no quarrels. I have no reason to fight any of you." Sasuke answered, hoping that it would stop their attacks, but he hoped a little too much. The men kept on attacking.

Heaving out a sigh, he knew they completely wouldn't stop until he actually defeated them. He knew this type of people. He had dealt with many of them before. Their stubbornness exceeds their rationale thinking. Words wouldn't stop them. Only force would. Hence, Sasuke continued dodging and dodging until he was given an opportunity. When he saw an opening, Sasuke immediately struck.

The men couldn't even figure what had happened. At first, they were attacking the Uchiha, and all of a sudden, so swiftly, the Uchiha struck them all one by one, disarmed them and hit their necks. It wasn't fatal, but the blow was enough to take their consciousness away. As all his men fell one by one in a matter of seconds, Ryuu stood in the middle, shuddering as he pointed his knife to nowhere. He couldn't see the Uchiha anywhere and neither could he sense him. Uchiha Sasuke was fast. Extremely fast.

"What kind of blacksmith shivers while holding a weapon?" The Uchiha's voice echoed in the shadows. "Or is it because you are really afraid of me?"

Ryuu felt a gust of wind and stiffened when he felt the knife he was holding no longer in his grasp. In fact, he could feel the sharp tip on his neck. He didn't have to guess what just happened. He closed his eyes waiting for the final blow to come but it never did. Confused, he opened his eyes only to meet a pair of red eyes glaring at him fiercely. He gulped.

"I'm not going to kill you." Sasuke told him. "If my intention is to destroy the town, I would have burned in down minutes ago."

"But . . ." Ryuu gulped, staring at his fallen friends.

"They are not dead. Just unconscious. I didn't give them a fatal hit. I could, but I didn't."

"Why are you here then?"

"I'm looking for a weapon for an acquaintance. Something that can be used for long range attacks."

"The Uchiha Sasuke buying weapons for someone?" Ryuu scoffed. "Maybe I'm really dead."

"Do you have it or not?" Sasuke demanded, slightly annoyed now. "Time is not on my side."

"What are you up to?"

"Just helping out an acquaintance." Sasuke grimaced, "So?"

The blacksmith stared at him contemplating whether he was a threat or not. Realizing that he perhaps wasn't, that Sasuke was just looking for a weapon, he dismissed the fact that Sasuke was a threat, though he was still a little bit wary.

"Follow me." Ryuu signaled

Sasuke followed the blacksmith as he led him deeper into the village. After a few turns, they were in front of an old warehouse with two men standing guard outside. Noticing him – a complete stranger—the guard got into their stance, but Ryuu signaled them to lower their weapons.

"It's fine. He's with me," he told them, "now unlock the door."

The guards eyed their boss warily but listened anyway and unlocked the door as instructed. The huge door that led them into the warehouse soon opened and Ryuu led Sasuke in. Once inside, Sasuke was greeted by the sight of countless of weapons in various kinds, shapes and sizes. It was like a heaven for weapons and Sasuke eyed each of them carefully trying to find the perfect one for Hinata.

"What kind of weapon are you looking for?"

"Something good for long range attacks." Sasuke answered. "Preferably something that is not so heavy. A woman will wield it."

"A woman?" He sounded genuinely surprise.

"Yes, a woman," Sasuke glared at him, not liking the look the blacksmith was giving him. Noticing the change in his mood, Ryuu laughed nervously and went to search for an ideal weapon. He wondered what type of long range weapon would be suitable for a woman. Granted, women could wield any weapons they like as men could, but Ryuu had been a blacksmith for years. He had sold many kind of weapons to women before and he noticed that their weapons of choice are usually simple, yet elegant. Even while wielding the said weapons, the women are still as graceful as ever.

"Long range . . . Not so heavy . . ." Ryuu pondered. "Some throwing knives will do. But you ninjas already have kunais, right?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yea, so there's no point in giving us throwing knives."

"Swords are definitely out of the picture. . ." Ryuu mumbled and continued thinking when something caught Sasuke's eyes.

"A bow." Sasuke suddenly uttered.

The blacksmith turned to look at the Uchiha and blinked. "A bow?"

"Yes. A bow. Archery is a good form of long range techniques." Sasuke answered and pointed to a simple white archer. "That bow would fit her."

Without wasting time, Ryuu took the bow Sasuke was eyeing and passed it to him. The Uchiha immediately examined it carefully. It was a simple white bow with a tinge of lavender at the sides. It was medium in size. It wouldn't be too big for Hinata, but it was not too small either to the point that the damage done would be useless. No matter how Sasuke looked at it, the bow fit Hinata perfectly.

Not wanting a blunt weapon, Sasuke took an arrow to test it out. He positioned the bow towards the blacksmith whose eyes widened in horror at the thought that Sasuke was aiming at him. With a smirk, Sasuke took his shot, and Ryuu shrieked, closing his eyes in fear waiting for the arrow to pierce him.

But it never did.

"I aimed for the ceiling, you moron."

Ryuu hesitantly looked up and smiled weakly. Still trembling, he could only utter one word. "S-So . . .?"

Sasuke examined the weapon again and played with it for a while. He tried out shooting in different kind of positions and loved how the bow didn't cause his hands to bruise. He had training in archery before; hence it was easy for him. He has no idea if Hinata has any knowledge about archery before but he has a feeling she didn't because he remembers the Hyuuga being good at close range attacks, but never long range. Also, a Hyuuga using a weapon was never heard of.

Besides, Hinata has the Byakugan. Her line of vision is further and wider than his. He didn't know how far she could see, but he could ask her that later. However, he knew that as long as she possesses the Byakugan, if taught a long range technique properly, she could kill from a very far distance. Her eyes were her advantage.

He knew teaching her would require patience on his part , but if he wanted her to be useful in the battlefield, to possess the ability to defend herself and not just rely on him, equipping her with long range techniques is a good start.

And archery would be the first step.

"U-Umm . . ." Ryuu called out nervously. "So . . . do you want the bow?"

Saying nothing, Sasuke took out some money and throw it to the blacksmith. He struggled to catch it, but once he saw the amount, he realized that Sasuke had given him more than the price of the bow. He wanted to tell him that and, but the moment Ryuu looked up again, the Uchiha was already gone.

**xXXxXXxXXxXx**

Now that her stomach was filled, Hinata felt completely energized. She had spent most of her time wandering outside, taking in her new surroundings, but she was careful enough not to go beyond the barrier. She had asked the old lady if there was something she could do. However, the old lady politely declined, saying that she should take the time to rejuvenate further. Hinata protested, arguing that she didn't want to live her as a freeloader and that she has regained much of her energy after the meal.

After constant persuasion and pleas, the old lady finally gave in and allowed her to wash the dishes. Even then, it only took about fifteen minutes and Hinata found herself with nothing to do yet again. Hence, she was standing outside feeling slightly bored.

"Do you have a new set of clothes?" The old lady suddenly appeared behind her, causing her to jump a little.

"Ah yes . . . You gave me some clothes previously . . ."

"Hmm . . . I prepared some new ones. A little bigger than before." The old lady said and stared at her. "You are rather . . . busty after all."

"W-What?" Hinata's eyes widened with her face completely red.

"Hmm . . ." the old lady grinned rather teasingly. "Change into that new set of clothes after the shower."

Hinata regained her composure. "Shower?"

"Yes, I've prepared the shower for you."

Hinata immediately felt guilty. "Y-You shouldn't have . . ."

"I wanted to. Besides, it is my duty to make you look good in front of the Uchiha." She grinned.

"E-Excuse me?" Hinata stuttered, completely appalled and embarrassed.

"Relax. I'm just kidding." The old lady chuckled. "Don't have to be so flustered."

Hinata blushed, clutching the yukata the old lady had given onto her chest. She couldn't believe the old lady could be such a tease, but perhaps this was a chance to ask the question that had been on her mind.

"Umm . . ." Hinata hesitated. ". . . Are you really Hyuuga Aiko?"

The old lady stood still, seemingly contemplating whether to tell her or not. There was a moment of hesitation before she answered, "Yes."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Why did you leave?"

"Maybe like you, I was trying to escape my fate. After all, destiny is not given. It's chosen and I chose to run away." The old lady smiled sadly.

Hinata pondered over her words and realized that she was doing the same things. She too was trying to escape her fate and chose her own destiny. Would she end up like this old lady as well, roaming and wandering from town to town all by herself? All because she tried to defy her supposedly 'given fate'?

"Don't think about it too much," Aiko told her, "All the things happening now, it is part of the destiny you have chosen. It won't be an easy path, but at least, it is something you chose. At least, you have that freedom to choose."

Hearing those words, Hinata smiled. Hyuuga Aiko was right. Even if this path is hard and full of obstacles, it is something she has chosen. It is her own choice, not the choice the clan had forced upon her. Even if the journey will be painful, choosing her own path means that she has a will of her own, and she isn't just some puppet the clan can use.

Aiko smiled seeing the determination in Hinata's eyes. "Now go shower before the Uchiha comes back. I think he would want you to be ready as soon as possible."

"Ready for what?" Hinata blinked.

"You'll see," she grinned and disappeared into the kitchen yet again.

Despite confused, she followed the old lady's instruction and showered. She closed her eyes in bliss, sighing contently as the warm water cleansed her skin. It felt good to have a proper shower again, and not just a simple wash in a lake where she constantly has to be wary of her surroundings.

Once she was done, Hinata wanted to change into the new yukata the old lady had given her, but realized that she had forgotten to bring it in and left it outside. Wrapping herself with a towel the old lady had provided, she stepped out of the washroom, only to bump into a hard chest.

Raising her gaze, she froze as standing in front of her was none other than the Uchiha who was completely . . . staring at her. Noticing how his eyes were intensely looking at her . . . body, Hinata knew that he was checking her out.

She immediately shrieked, and locked herself inside the washroom again, slamming the door right in front of his face.

Sasuke had just returned from the village only to find the house strangely quiet and empty. Fearing that the enemies had somehow discovered this place, Sasuke masked his chakra and quietly checked the surroundings for any intruders. It just so happened that the moment he sneaked into the kitchen, Hyuuga Hinata came out of the washroom clad in nothing but a towel.

His gaze was immediately fixed on her. The shower had intensified her natural scent. He could tell as the scent of lavenders and vanillas immediately consumed him. She was also a sight to behold, dripping wet right after shower. He was still a man after all, so he couldn't deny the sight of Hyuuga Hinata right now was attractive and definitely . . . tempting. He knew if he kept on looking, he would need a cold shower soon, but his eyes couldn't leave her, especially when he saw the droplets of water trickling down her milky white skin and right into the towel as it traveled down the valley between her two . . .

A shriek was heard and Sasuke immediately snapped out of his thought when he heard the washroom door being slammed shut right in front of his face.

Realizing that she had locked herself in again as he was caught staring and the yukata she wanted to take was still outside, Sasuke sighed and knocked on the washroom door like a true gentleman this time.

"Hyuuga, your yukata is still outside."

Opening the door slowly and slightly so that he couldn't see her, Hinata snatched her clothes from his hands rather roughly before slamming the door right in front of his face again. Not even a thank you was heard. Sasuke smirked at her actions. It seems like the shy Hyuuga Hinata is aggressive when she's embarrassed.

"Meet me outside when you're done," Sasuke told her with a hint of amusement in his tone of voice, before leaving the Hyuuga alone to change . . . as well as to calm herself.

Once she was done changing and finally regained her composure, Hinata headed outside as instructed, with a small blush prettily covering her cheeks. The old lady was nowhere to be seen and she wondered where she had disappeared to. She then saw Sasuke staring at the clear sky, and sensing her presence, he immediately turned.

"You're done, Hyuuga." Sasuke greeted. "Good. We can begin."

"B-Begin what, Uchiha-san?" She asked, confused.

Sasuke didn't explain and handed the bow to her. Staring at the bow at hand, Hinata was now even more confused.

"U-Uchiha-san?"

"Sasuke." He suddenly told her.

"W-What?"

"Since it is obvious that we are going to be stuck with each other, get rid of the formalities. Just call me Sasuke."

"I will if you stop calling me Hyuuga as well."

Sasuke smirked. "Fair enough."

"So why did you give me a bow, Sasuke-kun?"

"That will be your weapon." He could tell that she was even more confused now but again he didn't explain. Instead, he stood in the middle and crossed his arms. "So are you ready, Hinata.?"

"R-Ready for?"

His smirk widened.

"Your training."


	11. Chapter 11

Shipping wars. Shipping wars everywhere . . . That's what happen after the recent Naruto chapters. Did you guys read it? I no longer really cares who ends up with who in the manga, as long as they are happy. I can't really stand those who wish upon a character's death so that their 'true pairing' can happen. Really it annoys me. All this character bashing. Urgh.

Sorry for late update. Too engrossed with my PS3. AC3, RE6, Hitman: Absolution . . . Hey, I would at least like to complete my games during my semester break. Hey! If you have a PSN, add me up (darkraasyy)!

And this fic has reached 500 reviews! Thank you so much! :)

Last update for 2012. Happy New Year!

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 11**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing.**

* * *

"My lord, is the carriage comfortable enough for you?"

The lord of Amegakure yawned, ignoring the question his minions had asked him. The journey to Konohagakure was taking longer than he had expected and he was getting bored. The carriage he was in had nothing interesting for him and all he could do in it was sit, sleep, and wait.

"How long more to Konohagakure?"

"It'll take one more day, my lord."

"One more day?!" He snapped. "Can't this carriage go any faster?!"

"Forgive us my lord. We are going as fast as we can."

"Tch. All of you are hopeless." He growled, clearly unhappy before chuckling darkly. "But at least I am going to enjoy myself in Konoha. Things are going to be interesting. . ."

"My lord . . ."

"What?!"

"There's a message from Lady Hinata's search party."

"What? They found her already? If yes, drag her ass back to the village." He cursed. "That woman gave me too much problems already. And I thought the seal will make her kneel down to me."

"No they have yet to find her . . . but . . ."

"But what?"

"They detected a strange energy signature. Like some sort of . . . barrier."

"A barrier?" He mused. "That's interesting . . . Ask them to investigate it further. Or break it, if possible."

"As you wish, my lord."

With the messenger gone, the lord smirked, liking how things were getting more interesting as days passed.

"Interesting . . . Interesting . . . Hyuuga Hinata . . . Uchiha Sasuke . . . Barrier . . . And reaching Konoha in a day . . . It'll be fun to stir some trouble there. It's been a while after all. I wonder how you are going to handle this . . . That perverted Sannin seems to have a lot of faith in you."

He chuckled darkly.

". . . Uzumaki Naruto . . ."

**xXXxXXxXXxXx**

Sitting at his usual seat in his favorite eating spot, Naruto stared at the bowl of ramen in front of him. Wanting to calm himself, his legs naturally brought himself here, to the stall that he had always been to since he was a child. This was the very stall where many memories occurred, memories that he would forever treasure. He remembered the times when Team 7 would eat here for breaks where Sakura, Sasuke and he would always try to see Kakashi's face behind the mask, only to keep on failing miserably, the times where Jiraiya would immediately find him here whenever he tried to skip training, and the times where he would drag Hinata out to eat with him here after the war.

But now everything changed.

Sasuke was no longer in Konoha, both he and Sakura couldn't face each other properly without the feeling of guilt and Jiraiya was no longer in this world.

And Hinata . . .

He clenched his chopsticks at the memories, his lips curving into a sad smile, unaware of the eyes watching him. Even though he rarely visited Ichiraku ever since he became the Hokage, the stall owner knew the boy very well. The stall owner, Teuchi had seen how the child in front of him grew up, from the lively child outcast by the village to becoming the village hero, and now he was finally the Hokage – the dream he had always wanted to achieve. Even as a Hokage, Naruto hadn't changed much. He insisted on everyone calling him Naruto instead of 'Hokage-sama or Naruto-sama.' He was still bubbly and eccentric like the boy who always ate at his shop every day when he was younger. However, the Naruto in front of him was different. This wasn't the jovial and positive Naruto. This Naruto was burdened with grief. Just looking into his blue eyes, Teuchi could tell that the Hokage wasn't being himself.

"Naruto, you haven't touched your ramen yet. Is there something wrong?"

That seemed to snap Naruto out from whatever thought he was having as he looked up and grinned widely. "Eh? I'm fine old man!" He slurped his ramen to add on the effect but Teuchi knew that Naruto was anything but fine.

"Do you want a new bowl? You stared at your bowl for half an hour. I think it is already cold."

"It's fine! Cold or hot, your ramen is still the best!" He gave Teuchi the thumbs up.

Naruto seemed to have reverted to his old bubbly self, but Teuchi suspected that it was just a façade. He was right because the moment he turned away to serve another customer, Naruto was just staring at the bowl again lost in his own thought.

Until two people showed up.

"Naruto? This is surprising. I rarely see you here anymore ever since you became Hokage!"

Naruto blinked and turned around to see who had greeted him. He smiled. "Ah Iruka-sensei! Chouji!I found some free time. Thought I would eat in my favorite stall." He grinned. "What brings you two here? I can see Iruka-sensei coming here, but Chouji? I thought the barbecue place is your heaven."

"It's closed for renovation! I have to settle for ramen for now." Chouji whined and ordered four bowls of ramen.

Iruka laughed. "Chouji and I just ended our shift at the academy. The new generation is hard to control, but I see them having great potential. Konoha's future seems bright."

"That's good." Naruto smiled.

When the war ended, Iruka continued his role as a teacher in the academy, and joined by Chouji who didn't want to have his own team yet. Surprisingly, Chouji was very good with children and he could handle large classes very well. The students also loved him, probably because he always gives them sweets every time after lessons end, but then again, it was Chouji and it's just easy to like him. Since he became the Hokage, he rarely saw them because of their hectic schedule – he with his paperwork and them with their job in the academy. Part of him felt glad that he finally saw them again, but another part of him wished that they didn't see him now, not when he wasn't being himself.

"Are you okay Naruto?" Iruka blinked.

"Eh? I'm fine!" He grinned.

Iruka frowned. "You barely touched your ramen."

"I want to eat slowly once in a while." Naruto reasoned out, still trying to grin.

"It's about Hinata, isn't it?" Chouji said. Naruto dropped his chopsticks.

"What . . ."

"Shikamaru told me about it. Said you weren't being yourself ever since the news about Hinata running away from Amegakure reached you . . ."

"I think I have not been myself ever since she was sent away . . ." Naruto admitted.

"You can't change the past, Naruto, but you can change the present and create the future." Chouji said.

"Chouji's right. Hinata being sent away . . . You can't change that. But you change now . . . and your actions now will determine whether she will return in the future . . . or not."

"I know." Naruto smiled sadly. "I know all that, but it still hurts."

"I can't fully understand your pain." Chouji said. "Your burden is much bigger than ours. Having to care for the entire village, wanting to save your friends . . . I can never understand your pain completely, but I would at least like to share it."

"Chouji . . ."

"I can't give you the proper advises I'm just an academy teacher who still lacks confidence in himself, but the least I can do for a friend in need is to share a meal with you," Chouji continued, "After all, a meal with friends always taste better right?"

"Chouji is right. We can't advice you much. We can't tell you what to do because we are not sure of what's right and wrong either, but we can still stay by your side and do simple things like eating with you to remind you that you are not alone, Naruto. You still have friends."

Naruto's eyes widened. All of a sudden, Sai's words came to his mind again, about him not being alone because he has friends with him; friends that are willing to share his burden. Friends that are always by his side and now Iruka-sensei and Chouji had proven Sai's words true again. "Chouji . . . Iruka-sensei . . ."

"Come on Naruto! If you want save Hinata, you need the energy. Eat up! It'll be my treat." Iruka grinned.

"Can you treat me as well, Iruka-sensei?" Chouji asked while his mouth was full of ramen.

"You ate too much already, Chouji . . ." Iruka sighed " . . . but okay, I guess I don't mind."

Chouji immediately grinned. "Then I'll order five more bowls of ramen!"

"Wait, what?"

"Naruto, come on, order more! Iruka-sensei is paying!"

Hearing Chouji's prompt, Naruto grinned widely. "All right! Old man Teuchi! Give me ten bowls!"

"Yes that's the spirit Naruto! Add ten more bowls for me to!" Chouji beamed.

"Fifteen in total?! I'm not going to lose to you!" Naruto argued jokingly. "Old man! Twenty more bowls!"

"Are you two trying to empty my pockets?!"

"You did agree to treat us, Iruka-sensei." Naruto reminded, already done with his tenth bowl.

"Yup, don't take back your words. Five more bowls!" Chouji continued

"All right! Business is lively today!" Teuchi grinned.

"Old man! Five more!"

"I'm going to be broke for the rest of the month . . ."

As Teuchi happily gave them their ramen while Chouji ate continuously and Iruka sighed in misery at the increasing bills, Naruto stopped eating for a while and looked up at the sky.

_'Hinata, how are you doing right now? Are you lonely? I heard Sasuke is helping you. Is he treating you well? Who am I kidding. He is Sasuke. He never treats anyone well. He is Sasuke-teme for a reason.'_

He chuckled to himself.

_'I have friends beside me, supporting me like how you always have and it saddens me if you are feeling lonely right now. But wherever you are, you must know that we are by your side too as well Hinata. Wait for me, Hinata. I'll do whatever it takes to find you. I promise I'll bring you back to Konoha because this is where you belong. In this village. Among our friends and . . .'_

He paused.

_' . . . Right by my side.'_

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

To Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke had always been a man full of mysteries. She could never figure him out. He was too dark and too broody that she never dared to figure him out. He had always been portrayed as someone who simply didn't care for anyone else and was only concern for power to achieve his own goals. He had always been known as the village traitor who plotted to destroy Konoha out of revenge – the man who could not be trusted. She had also heard of stories of him not hesitating to kill his former comrades or comrades even if they were in his way. To Hinata, everything she heard about Sasuke equated him as a ruthless and cold hearted man.

However, the Sasuke she had been with in the past few weeks had proven her wrong.

Sasuke was indeed cold, that she could not deny. Yes, he was still rude and harsh with his words, could even act like an asshole sometimes, but he wasn't heartless. He had saved her even when he had no obligations to do so, he had shown kindness in his own way and how he was going to train her.

This Sasuke was definitely _not_ heartless and to say that she was surprised was an understatement.

"Training?" She managed to say out in the midst of her shock.

"Yes training." Sasuke answered truthfully. "Why? Are you afraid?" Intending to run away?"

"No! I'm not going to run away!" She countered convincingly. "It's just that . . ."

"What?"

"Why are you doing this? You and I . . . We can't even be labeled as friend . . . You have no obligations towards me . . ."

Sasuke sighed. "I'm training you for my own advantage. It'll be easier to defend you if you can defend yourself first. Your current abilities are useless. The Hyuuga techniques won't work as long as they know how to activate your seal. Before you can even strike them, you'll be immobile on the ground in pain."

"I see . . ."

"Since the normal Hyuuga close range attacks are now useless, you must change your fighting style. Evolve. Go beyond the Hyuuga techniques. Fight in a way the enemies will not expect a Hyuuga to fight with." Sasuke explained and Hinata listened intently. "Your Byakugan . . . It can see further that any normal eyes. It is useful for long range technique. If trained correctly, you can be deadly in long range attacks. That is why I gave you the bow."

At his words, she looked at the bow Sasuke had given her at hand. This was the first time she ever held a weapon. Throughout her entire life, Hinata never once wielded a weapon. She never needed to. After all, Hyuugas never used weapons before. They were so skilled in taijutsu that weapons were deemed unnecessary. Even though her skills were not as great as other Hyuugas, Hinata still never relied on weapons because not even one Hyuuga ever used one before to teach her. Also, the Hyuugas were too proud of their taijutsu skills that using a weapon was considered demeaning.

However, she knew Sasuke was right. With the curse seal on her forehead, the Rain ninjas could easily activate the seal before she could even strike them. Her techniques had become relatively pointless. If she wanted to protect herself, she must evolve. She must venture beyond her comfort zone and not just rely on taijutsu. Also, if she wanted to escape from the Hyuuga's shadows, this was the perfect chance to do what no Hyuuga had done before.

Pick up a weapon and wield it.

"I-I have never used a bow before." Hinata told him.

"That's fine. I had training in archery when I was younger. I can teach you." Sasuke said. "Though I must warn you that I'm not a patient teacher. The question lies whether you want this or not, Hinata."

"Yes I want this." Hinata answered with determination. "Please teach me how to use the bow, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke smirked at her answer. "Good. Then we can begin."

He observed her carefully and noticed her awkward way of holding the bow. Since she had no experience of wielding it before, he knew he had to start from the basics. He secretly hoped that Hinata was a fast learner because time was definitely not on their side. He had five days – six at most – to teach her the basics of holding a bow, to aiming, before finally trying out shooting from long range.

Also, her speed. He definitely needed to work on her speed. He supposed that she wasn't that slow, but she wasn't fast either. Perhaps it's because his speed is like lightning that everything around him seems slow. However, it would be better if she was faster. Having a faster speed will be advantageous for her. It would definitely help her when she tries to shoot while moving around and evading the enemies' attacks. Enemies wouldn't be able to strike her easily either.

"For now we have to work on your posture." Sasuke said and took the bow from her hand and showed her how to wield it. Hinata watched the position carefully and plant the image on her head so he wouldn't have to show it to her again next time. "Then you'll learn how to aim." He continued and aimed at a nearby tree. The arrow flew and hit the center perfectly and Hinata looked on in awe. "Then, we'll work on your speed. Once your aim and speed has improved, we'll try long range shooting."

"So . . ." Sasuke said and passed the bow back to her. He positioned her hands on the bow correctly, standing a little bit too close causing the Hyuuga to blush, but she chose not to get distracted and focus on how to wield correctly. Once she got the position correct and her posture was right and comfortable to shoot with, Sasuke took a step away and smirk. "You ready?"

Hinata nodded.

"Well then, let the training begins."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Even though Sasuke claimed that he wasn't a patient teacher, Hinata was impressed that he hadn't lost his cool with her yet. After all, ever since they started training two hours ago, she still couldn't hit the target right. Every time Sasuke shot an arrow, it would hit the center of the tree. Every time she tried, the arrow would miss the tree by a few inches.

She was improving. On her first try, the arrow went beyond, completely out of target, but it got closer and closer to the target the more she practiced – the target being a tree in the old lady's backyard. However, even though she now managed to hit closer to the target, for two hours straight, Hinata could not hit the target even once.

She really wondered why Sasuke wasn't mad with her yet. Judging from the amount of arrows she had just wasted, he had every right to be. However, the Uchiha merely sat at the corner and watched her carefully saying nothing and doing nothing to help her either. He was just . . . scrutinizing her and perhaps his gaze was what making her nervous till she couldn't aim properly.

Hinata knew she shouldn't blame anyone though. Sasuke has the right to scrutinize her as much as he wants. After all, she can't even shoot properly and she shouldn't let nervousness be a reason. Not wanting to give up yet and not willing to let his gaze affect her, Hinata took another arrow and try again, but again, it missed. This time, she let out a sigh. How was she going to shoot an arrow from long range when she couldn't even hit the target when she was close enough?

He had been observing her for two hours, watching carefully as she missed the target yet again. Her posture was right. The way she was wielding the bow was correct as well. Everything seems fine, so she shouldn't be having troubles. He wondered what was wrong.

He would like to believe that she wasn't that horrible, but he was having doubts now since she couldn't hit the target even once. However, something must be wrong which was why she kept on missing the target. Hence, he continued to observe and notice how her face cringed as if in pain whenever she was about to shoot. Realizing what was actually wrong, Sasuke stood up and went back inside the hut.

Seeing Sasuke entering the hut, Hinata thought that he had finally given up on her. She wasn't surprised. She was shocked that it didn't happen sooner though. Hinata grimaced at how hopeless she could be sometimes. She really needs to step up her game if she no longer wants to rely on Sasuke and desires to defend herself.

"Does it hurt?" She yelped when she heard his voice behind her.

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

"Your hand. It hurts right?" He stated nonchalantly.

"W-Well –"

Sasuke didn't let her complete her sentence and took her hand in his. She blushed slightly at the contact, not accustomed to having a guy holding her hand other than her close friends and maybe even Neji. Also, this was Uchiha Sasuke of all people. She never imagined him to be holding her hand one day, but here he was.

Sasuke was relatively unperturbed as he examined her hands, noticing the blisters and the swelling on it. Saying nothing, he took out some bandages which he had taken from the hut and wrapped them around both of her hands. No words were uttered as he continued this process.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" HInata finally decided to broke the silence.

"When one wields the bow for the first time, the hands usually will be covered with blisters and swell because of the force being put when trying to shoot." Sasuke said. "It will hurt whenever you try to shoot, which is why your aim is off. Even if you did aim correctly, the pain will make the arrow stray off the target."

"S-Sorry . . ."

"What are you apologizing for? Almost everyone will encounter blisters and swelling hands when they wield a bow for the first time. Even I did." Sasuke said. "Bandaging your hands will ease the pain a bit. After a while you'll get used to it."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." She bowed politely.

"Have some confidence." Sasuke suddenly told her. Hinata turned to look at him, confused.

"E-Eh?"

"Your posture is fine, but every time before you shoot, you hesitated. If you keep on hesitating, you'll never hit the target." Sasuke told her sternly, and Hinata frowned because Sasuke was right. She was hesitating. She didn't have confidence in herself before she took her shot. As a result, her accuracy was greatly affected causing her to miss the target. She was lost in her own thought when she felt a finger flicking her forehead. Her eyes widened.

His face was impassive when he removed his finger from her forehead, but his eyes were deeply staring at her. "Trust in your own abilities. Have some confidence. If you don't, how can others believe in you? Believe in yourself or you can never do it."

She said nothing and absorbed the words Sasuke had told her. He was right. She needed to have confidence in herself. She needed to believe in her own abilities. Sasuke was teaching her archery when he had no obligation to, so she must try her best and not waste his time. It was the least she could to show her gratitude to him. Feeling a sudden surge of confidence in her, Hinata took the bow, aimed and took her shot again.

This time, it really did hit the target.

"Keep on trying to make sure that it's not a fluke. I'll be watching."

Sasuke didn't praise her. Instead, he asked her to repeat the process and gave her comments to make the shooting easier. His tone was harsh but, she didn't mind though. Praises after all won't help much except for perhaps her ego.

With that said, Hinata kept on trying and trying witch the Uchiha watching her. This time she was more determined. This time, she wanted to make sure that she indeed does improve, so that she could defend herself and that she wouldn't be a burden to one Uchiha.

Hinata improved greatly ever since then. For the next hour, she no longer missed the target, except for only one or twice and the arrow always hit the center without fail and perhaps maybe only an inch off. Sasuke seemed content with her improvement that he later asked her to stop to take a short break. The old lady had made them Onigiri as well as tea before she disappeared off to somewhere again. Knowing that training required energy, Sasuke wanted her to fill her stomach first before they go to the next stage.

"You will not use your bow in the next training." Sasuke told her.

"What are we going to do next, Sasuke-kun?" She blinked, munching the onigiri and relishing the taste of home cooked meal. It had been a while since she had a proper meal and she was grateful that the old lady had prepared some for her. Hinata made a mental note to herself to thank Hyuuga Aiko properly later once her training for the day was done.

"We are going to spar." Sasuke answered her and Hinata nearly choked on her food.

"S-Spar?" She stuttered. "With you?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. You need to work on your speed and to achieve that, you need to get used to speed."

Hinata blinked again processing his words. It seemed logical enough. She knew she wasn't as fast as many other ninjas and her speed was something she definitely could improve on. However, like Sasuke had mentioned, to improve on speed, she must first get used to seeing something fast. She must first be accustomed to let her eyes detect speedy attacks so that she would be able to evade them without fail.

And that's where sparring with Sasuke came into picture. Uchiha Sasuke has always been known for his amazing speed. She had seen him fight before and she had seen first-hand how fast he was in the battle field. One reason why he could slash those Rain Ninjas easily and quickly was because they could not do anything much because of his speed. He disappeared like a flash of lightning and reappeared like one as well before he struck. Sparring with Sasuke would definitely allow her to get accustomed to fast attacks. Once her eyes were used to the speed, her body would react accordingly and her reaction time would improve which would then lead to the increase in speed on her part.

The only thing was whether she was ready to spar with the Uchiha. Uchihas had always been known for their roughness. She was pretty sure he wouldn't be gentle with her, but in a sparring session, it would be better to go all out right? She would not improve if Sasuke holds back against her. Even if she was to sustain countless of injuries after this, if it was to improve her abilities and skills, she was willing to do it. Besides, Hinata had always endured tough training in the Hyuuga clan. She was sure she would be able to endure a sparring session with Sasuke as well.

Sensing the increasing motivation within her, she took the final bite of the onigiri and stood up completely energized.

"You seemed eager." Sasuke smirked, looking at the Hyuuga who was already standing in the middle of the field, already on her stance.

"I've never sparred with you before. It's somewhat exciting." Hinata admitted with a blush.

"Well Hinata, hope that excitement won't vanish in the middle of the session because I'm not going easy on you." He grinned and joined her in the middle of field on his stance.

"And I'm not asking you to, Sasuke-kun. I rather you go all out with me."

Sasuke chuckled and her soaring confidence. "If you say so Hinata. If you say so."

The duo immediately clashed as the spar began. The moment they started, Sasuke had instantaneously disappeared leaving Hinata surprised. He then appeared right in front of her again, giving her a punch that sent her flying to the other side before disappearing once more. Wincing, she forced herself up realizing that he was nowhere to be seen. Activating her byakugan, she scanned her surroundings. If she couldn't see him, perhaps she could see his trailing chakra . . .

Once again, he appeared right in front of her, but this time she managed to detect his chakra on time and clumsily evaded his hit. He vanished once again and she couldn't help but frown. He was fast, extremely fast, and much faster than anyone she had ever faced . . .

She spun around trying to detect his position when she was hit yet again on her chest this time. She nearly stumbled and was about to regain her balance when Sasuke struck her again from behind. This time she was flung to a nearby tree and she winced at the painful impact. Sasuke really wasn't showing any mercy. His blow was strong. Extremely strong.

"Is that all you have, Hinata?" Sasuke taunted. "I expect better."

"N-No . . ." she murmured and forced herself up. It was obvious that she was injured by the hit Sasuke had given her judging from how she was struggling to get up. "This is just starting, Sasuke-kun."

As soon as those words were uttered, Hinata dashed forward attempting to attack the Uchiha, but he dodged it with ease. She tried again using her gentle fists attempting to lock his chakra points but once again Sasuke easily evaded her strikes. They continued this for the next hour, with Hinata attempting to hit Sasuke at least once, while the Uchiha evaded them again and again with ease.

"Your movement is slow. I can easily see through your attacks," Sasuke said as he dodged her attacks yet again.

"I know," Hinata smiled thinly, "but I'm not going to stop because I can finally see . . ."

"See what?"

"Your movements." She smiled and pushed her fist forward which nearly hit the Uchiha if not for his last minute reflexes. Despite barely dodging attack, Sasuke managed to go around her and gave her a blow from behind sending her flying to the nearby tree, coughing out blood in the process.

Hinata dropped to the ground, panting heavily as blood trickled from her mouth.

"I think that's enough for today."

"N-No . . ." She protested. "I still can . . ."

She heard footsteps coming towards her and she didn't have to guess that Sasuke was approaching her. "No, that's enough for today. As a ninja, you must know your limit. Forcing yourself to train when your body can no longer take it will not help you improve. It'll only burden you further."

She raised her head and her eyes met his. She thought she would see some sort of disappointment or disdain in his eyes like the look her father always had whenever she didn't perform during training, but instead of those, Sasuke's eyes were relatively impassive, but they weren't demeaning her. Not at all.

"Even though you didn't manage to hit me, you are now able to see my movements." Sasuke said and extended his hand to her. "That's an improvement, Hinata."

Staring at his extended hand, Hinata blinked continuously. Did Uchiha Sasuke just compliment her? Somewhat in a daze because of the hit, she grabbed his extended hand as Sasuke helped pull her up. He helped stabilized her, making sure that she can stand by herself before letting go of her.

"T-Thank you." She blushed.

"Let's get back inside and let the old lady check on your injuries. Can you walk?"

"Yes."

"Hn. Let's go then." Sasuke murmured and led the way to the hut as Hinata followed behind with a small smile on her face.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Gazing at the night sky, Sasuke enjoyed the cooling breeze of the night as he sharpened his sword outside the old lady's hut. After the training ended, Sasuke had requested for the old lady to treat Hinata's wounds. It seemed that he hit her harder than he had thought because Hinata had bruises everywhere. Despite that, she didn't complain and mumbled something about experiencing worse and that naturally there would be bruises after training. He didn't apologize to her, but he knew she had sensed his slight guilt, hence the mumblings to ease him a bit.

As the old lady treated her injuries, Sasuke decided to make himself useful by preparing dinner. Contrary to popular belief, he knew his way in the kitchen. He had been living alone nearly his whole life ever since the massacre, therefore he found it a necessity to know how to cook or he might starve himself to death. He didn't bother to comment on the startled expression of both the Hyuuga and the old lady when they saw the meal he had prepared for them.

They ate dinner in silence. Once they were done, Hinata offered to wash the dishes so that both he and the old lady could rest. The old lady protested, but Hinata argued that since they were living here for free, they should split the tasks, and since Sasuke had prepared dinner, it was only right for her to do the dishes. The old lady didn't bother protesting again as Hyuuga Hinata was stubborn when she was fixed on wanting to do something. So Hinata did the dishes, while the old lady disappeared off somewhere again and Sasuke found himself heading outside looking at the night sky and sharpening his weapons.

He was somewhat tired, but the night was still young. He didn't want to go to sleep yet. So Sasuke stayed outside, wanting to enjoy the cool breeze a while longer. He didn't say anything when he heard her soft footsteps approaching him.

"C-Can I join you?" Her meek voice asked.

"Hn."

She sat down beside him, hugging her knees and looking at the stars, feeling content despite the silence and her current predicament. When she ran away, she never once expected to encounter the Uchiha and never did she expect that he would help her. Even though she was like a fugitive now, she felt so free . . . and she knew this wouldn't be possible if Sasuke and the old lady didn't help her. She owed them a lot. She smiled and looked at the Uchiha who was still sharpening his weapon and she wondered if she should start a conversation. She then realized she hadn't thanked him for dinner.

"Oh Sasuke-kun! T-Thank you for preparing dinner just now . . ."

"Hn ."

"I never expect you know how to cook . . . You don't look like the type."

"When you live alone for so long, you'll be amazed at the things you never expect to know how to do, but in the end you must because you can only rely on yourself."

She blinked and hung her head low realizing what he meant. Of course he would know his way in the kitchen. After massacre, Sasuke must have learned how to fend for himself because there was no one left to do those chores for him. Simple chores like the laundry and cooking which she had the privilege to have the servants do for her while others have their parents to prepare their meals, Sasuke didn't have that privilege. He had to do all those by himself . . .

"Sorry . . ." She murmured realizing that she was considered quite lucky in life and Sasuke wasn't as lucky as her. She may have been treated badly by her clan, but Sasuke had suffered much more . . .

She was lost in her thought on how much the Uchiha had suffered and how guilty she felt for not considering his pain when Sasuke flicked her forehead, again. Hinata blinked at the contact and looked up at him.

"Stop apologizing when it's not your fault. It's annoying." He glared at her.

"S-Sorr –" She was about to apologize again but clamped her mouth shut when his glare deepened. Her face turned red when the Uchiha smirked at her actions.

"Shouldn't you go to sleep?" Sasuke asked while sharpening his tools again. "You need the rest as tomorrow's training will be tougher."

She removed her hands from her mouth and smiled thinly. "I want to enjoy the night breeze first, Sasuke-kun."

He didn't answer and silence lingered between the two for a while longer. Sasuke continued to sharpen his weapons and Hinata gazed fondly at the night sky. He saw her dozing off while admiring the sky but said nothing of it until Sasuke felt a soft thud on him. Surprised, he put down his weapons and tilted his head, to find that Hyuuga Hinata had fallen asleep . . . on his shoulders.

Sasuke sighed. This was why he had told her to go to sleep straight. After the sparring session with him, he knew that she would be extremely tired. He had pushed her hard after all. Now she had fallen asleep on him. He moved, trying to see if she would wake up, but she didn't.

_'She must be really tired,'_ Sasuke thought.

Since sleeping on him wouldn't do her any good, it would be extremely uncomfortable anyway for both of them and she might just wake up with body aches, Sasuke carefully carried her back to the hut and placed her on the mattress the old lady had prepared for her. He tucked her in and she sighed contently, immediately snuggling in the blankets and mumbled something.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun . . . " she mumbled in her sleep with a small smile on her face.

Hearing those words, Sasuke froze and he just stared at her sleeping form and that smile as something inside him stirred. Something . . . strange. However, he was brought back to reality by a voice behind him.

"Did she improve?" Hyuuga Aiko asked, appearing out of nowhere again.

"Not much, but it's a start." Sasuke admitted. "Where did you go?"

"Why? Worried?" She grinned.

"No. Suspicious." Sasuke frowned.

"Still with the trust issues . . ." she chuckled. "I just went to check on the barrier . . . It's still holding."

"How long more do we have?"

"Four more days at least." She answered and looked at Hinata.

"I guess four days is enough." Sasuke said and walked away while the old lady was still looking at Hinata, or at her seal specifically. Sasuke eyed her warily. "What's wrong?"

"There's an antidote." She suddenly blurted. "When I invented the seal, I created an antidote as well. When the poison completely filled the wearer's body, there's a chance to save the wearer by giving the antidote to her before the poison killed her completely."

His eyes widened slightly. "And you didn't tell me beforehand because?"

"Because it's not with me." She frowned. "And even if I want to make some now, I can't because I gave everything to the elders. The research. Methods. Ingredients. I think they still have it now. The Hyuuga clan may be cold, but they won't implant the seal on her if they have no control over it. With the antidote, they have control over the seal and her. I know the antidote is with the clan."

"The clan that sent her away." Sasuke groaned. "What's the point then?"

"The point is, she can still be saved if the worst is to happen," the old lady gazed deep into Sasuke's eyes. "I know of your past, Uchiha. I know of your hatred towards Konoha."

Sasuke grimaced. "What's that got to do with all this? My hatred towards Konoha is none of your concern and has nothing to do with this."

"No, Uchiha Sasuke. Your hatred will have something to do with this. It definitely has." She smiled wryly. "Because if the time comes where she needs the antidote, her life lies in your hand Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke said nothing, but he knew where the old lady was going with this. He knew what the old lady meant. If that situation ever occurs, her life would be determined by him because when the time comes where Hinata needs the antidote, he would have to make a choice.

Would he let go of his hatred and return to the village he despised to seek the antidote. . .

. . . Or would he succumb to it and leave her to die?


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for being late. Lost interest in writing for a moment. Also, my new semester is starting on Monday, and it's semester 2, I really need to work harder to pull up my GPA. Hence, I can only update when I'm free. Don't expect too much.

Thank you for the favs, alerts and reviews.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 12**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing**

* * *

Resting on the branch of a tree, Kiba yawned, obviously bored of waiting. Ever since they had discovered the scene and the news regarding the possibility of Uchiha Sasuke being with Hinata, they hadn't moved one inch. Shino had sent his bugs to Konoha to relay the message, but other than that, they hadn't done anything else. Kiba wanted to go on and continue the search, but Shino had told him to wait and it was making him bored. Below him, Shino was leaning against the tree staring at who knows what while Akamaru barked repeatedly, trying to get his owner's attention.

"I know Akamaru," Kiba sighed, "I want to continue searching for Hinata too, but Shino asked us to wait here. Honestly, I have no idea for what. Aren't we wasting time sitting around here doing nothing?!"

"Woof!"

"Exactly Akamaru! We should be moving!" Kiba groaned. "Hey Shino, shouldn't we start moving? Hinata could be very far away from us now!"

"We move until we receive a reply from Konoha." The bug user calmly responds.

"Konoha is far away. It'll take a while till a reply comes!" Kiba whined. "Why do we need to wait for a reply anyway?"

"Because the situation has changed." Shino said. "Besides, Hinata will be fine."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Sasuke is with her."

"You trust him? That guy has issues, man."

"True." Shino answered. "But I doubt he will hurt Hinata without reason."

"What makes you so sure?"

"He left Konoha to search for peace." Shino explained. "If that's true, I'm sure he won't hurt Hinata."

Kiba grumbled. "You sound so confident, Shino. Whatever. If I find out that he lays even one finger on Hinata, I'm going to kill him."

"Well, you can try."

"Oh come on Shino! Don't tell me if he was hurting Hinata, you won't confront him." Kiba rolled his eyes.

"I won't."

"Seriously?!"

"But I will send my insects to swarm him in his sleep that he won't be able to see the light of day anymore."

Kiba's jaw dropped. "Dude, that's creepy."

"Would you like to try it out?"

He shuddered at the thought of being swarmed by Shino's bugs. Kiba had always been afraid of Shino's fleas . . . "No thank you."

"Ah, how tragic." Shino lamented. "It feels quite good actually."

"I don't want to know." Kiba grumbled to himself. "So we are still waiting?"

Shino said nothing and moved forward, staring at the clear sky seemingly deep in thought. Despite knowing him for years, Kiba really couldn't get what his friend was thinking about sometimes. Since the first day Shino introduced himself in front of the class in the academy, he had always been mysterious, maybe a little creepy even, and till now he was still the same. However, despite that, Shino was still his best friend, so if he said they should wait, perhaps they should. After all, Shino used his brains more than him.

All of a sudden, a white bird came out of nowhere and landed on Shino's shoulder. At closer look, they realized it wasn't a real bird. It was a painting of bird came to life.

"Sai's bird." Shino mumbled and took the paper it was holding on its legs. "With a message."

"What does it says? What does it says?" Kiba jumped off from the tree and tried to take a peek.

Shino remained silent and continued staring at the piece of paper at hand. Kiba was getting impatient.

"Shino, what does it say?!"

"We are to . . ." Shino begins, ". . . continue searching for Hinata . . ."

"See! I told you so! We shouldn't have waited here for nothing! We just wasted our time!"

". . . discreetly."

Kiba was still rambling when Shino spoke, but he had vaguely heard and he stopped. "What?"

"According to the letter, even if we find her, we are not supposed to show ourselves to her."

"What? Why? How are we supposed to help her then?"

"Apparently Naruto wants us to help her and Sasuke discreetly. If they need help, we are supposedly to quietly help them. In other words, we have to sneak around to give them support."

"No way . . ." Kiba sighed.

"Why are you feeling down? We are ninjas. Sneaking around shouldn't be a problem."

"One does not simply sneak onto Uchiha Sasuke." Kiba whined. "That guy will detect us even before we are close enough."

"Hmm . . . But we are not one . . ." Shino paused and Kiba wondered what he was going to say. Perhaps, something encouraging maybe? " . . . We are two."

Kiba nearly fell. "And here I thought you are going to say something inspiring."

"Sorry to disappoint you. Let's go." Shino said and began walking.

"You forgot Akamaru by the way! So we are not two. We are three!" Kiba yelled and ran to catch up with his friend with Akamaru barking behind him.

The trio thus began their search for Hinata again, but with Kiba yelling at Shino and Akamaru barking behind, Shino had a feeling that being sneaky would be harder than he had originally thought.

"Hey Shino," Kiba stopped yelling and stared at the sky. The bug user stopped and looked at his friend, who in a rare moment, seemed to be deep in thought.

"Yes?"

"I wonder what Hinata is doing right now . . ." Kiba smiled sadly. "I mean she must be doing something other than running away."

"She will be. Knowing her and her desire not to be a burden, she would probably be . . ."

"What?"

"Improving herself."

**xXXxXXxXxXxXXx**

Landing gracefully on one of the tree branches, Hinata scanned her surroundings, her Byakugan ensuring that nothing was left unseen. Seeing nothing, Hinata moved again, leaping from trees to trees as swiftly as possible. Her movements were quick, but her steps were careful as she tried to ensure that not a single sound was heard, not even the slightest creak.

She continued on and stopped when she finally detected her target, standing a kilometer away from her. Hinata wasted no time and got into position, wielding her bow as her eyes focused on the target who still hadn't sensed her presence yet. The wind blew as her midnight blue hair swayed with the leaves, but Hinata remained still and aimed.

In terms of abilities, the Byakugan would grant a 360 degree vision to the user, ranging to about 50m, which could then be expanded at the user's discretion. The range the user could see varies from individual to individual as it depended on how far he or she has trained to widen the range. Hinata, being a hard worker from young age despite constantly labeled as weak, has managed to widen her range of vision to beyond 10km, though she had kept this a secret from other Hyuugas knowing that they might not even believe her. However, now that she wasn't surrounded by Hyuugas, Hinata felt free to not restrain her Byakugan's vision. Besides, Sasuke had said that the further she could see the better, because it would allow her to really attack from far, and now it was thanks to her long vision that she could aim at the target even though they were kilometers apart.

Hinata took a deep breath and her eyes watched the target carefully. Her lips curved to a small smirk and she took her shot.

She smiled as the arrow glided past the trees, hitting no obstacles as it made its way to its target. Her heart beat with anticipation as the arrow flew closer and closer to the target who still hadn't sensed it yet, only to frown when her target detected it when the arrow was just inches away from him, successfully evading it like it was nothing.

Thanks to her Byakugan, she saw the smug on his face and it was also thanks to her Byakugan that she could see the kunais flying towards her at fast speed, thrown by him. He smirked. Hinata dodged and with the bow at hand, she started shooting again.

The training had progressed rather swiftly he must say. Despite only two days of training and sparring with him, her aim and speed had improved significantly, at least significant enough to progress to the next level. That's why they were here now, in the forest within the old lady's barrier which had expanded to a radius of 5km, where he became the target as she tried out long range shooting.

More arrows flew towards him where he skillfully evaded them all. He noticed that her aiming was excellent, but her shooting lacked strength. With such mediocre power in her shots, there was no way she could achieve a one strike kill. Such lackluster shooting wouldn't even hurt the enemy.

"Really Hinata? That's all you got?" He taunted even though they were far apart, but he knew she could hear. "A cat's bite will be more painful than your shots. At this rate, don't even dream of killing an enemy. With that kind of power, you can't even kill a deer."

Hinata stood still as his voice echoed in the forest, reaching her ears. She clutched her bow tightly as she took in his harsh but true words. Sasuke was right. Her shots were weak. If she wants to hurt the enemy, something must be done to increase her power.

"You're capable of more than that, Hinata." Sasuke continued. "Think. What should you do? I would like to believe that you aren't a Hyuuga just by name"

She blinked at his words and realizing what he wanted her to do, she smiled. Aiming once more, blue light coated her fists before it surrounded the arrow. Yes, she wasn't a Hyuuga just by name. She can master chakra control as well.

Hinata focused and concentrated her chakra to her fists before transmitting them onto the arrow. After all, a chakra coated arrow would be more powerful than a normal one. Once she felt that it was enough, she pulled and fired.

Sasuke scanned the area wondering where the next attack would come from. As he didn't want to activate his Sharingan for this training, he relied on his other senses, and it took a while till his ears heard something. By pure instinct, Sasuke moved as a chakra coated arrow zoomed past him. Even though he had avoided the arrow by inches, the chakra surrounding it had managed to graze his cheek. For a second, he was stunned by how sharp her chakra was as blood trickled down.

Coming back to his senses, he smirked and wiped the blood off. Now she was getting serious.

Ever since that strike, Sasuke then spent the next 15 minutes evading her arrows. His speed allowed him to dodge most of them easily, but her shots were much more powerful now that he had to use his sword to deflect some. He repeated this process, dodge and deflect, and then her attacks stopped.

Silence surrounded the forest and Sasuke observed his surroundings warily. Since she stopped shooting, it could only mean that she was on the move again. This also meant that her next attack could come from anywhere.

Hinata was infuriated that not even one of her arrows hit the Uchiha except for that first one which only grazed his cheek. No matter how she aimed, Sasuke always managed to avoid them or deflect them with his swords. Sometimes she wondered if it was just his speed, or she was really horrible.

But she wasn't going to give up. She was determined to hit him at least once. One advantage about shooting while moving was that Sasuke wouldn't be able to determine her position while she could clearly see him. She would be able to attack from anywhere. She just had to be sneaky about it.

Moving around slowly, Sasuke continued to observe. He stopped as his ears caught something again and smirked. Sasuke abruptly turned around and as he had expected, Hinata was above him with a kunai at hand. She did a good job in masking her chakra so that he couldn't detect her, but she wasn't sneaky enough. He had heard a creak which had given her away.

As Hinata was about to strike, Sasuke raised his sword to block the kunai and using his free hand, he grabbed Hinata and yanked her to the ground. Pinning her down, she whimpered as the edge of his sword touched her neck.

"Fast," Sasuke smirked, "but not fast enough."

Hinata squirmed trying to escape from his grip, but to no avail. His clutch was strong and with his blade on her neck and him on top of her, there was no way she could push him away. He was much heavier than her. Despite that, Hinata continued on struggling trying to escape. Even though she knew it was futile, she would very much like to escape from his grip, because the position they were in was definitely uncomfortable and embarrassing, with him on top of her pinning her to the ground.

"S-Sasuke-kun," she managed to find her voice.

Noticing that she had been squirming and that her cheeks turned bright red when their eyes met, Sasuke let go and moved away realizing their current position and that she was uncomfortable by it. She coughed for air, thankful to have the blade away from her neck. Sasuke offered his hand to pull her up and Hinata gratefully grabbed it, getting back on her feet.

"You all right?" He watched her carefully. She was still coughing.

"Y-Yes." She managed to answer. "Sorry Sasuke-kun. I didn't manage to hit you . . ."

"You hit me once," he pointed to the cut on his cheek nonchalantly. "Since I'm much faster, I didn't expect you to hit me at all, but you hit me once, so good job. With your current skills, you'll be able to hurt enemies from long range."

Hinata smiled widely at his words before noticing the cut on his cheek she had inflicted.

"S-Sorry about that," she mumbled and unconsciously reached out to his face, caressing the wound gently. As her soft fingers trailed the cut on his cheek, Sasuke froze and once again, something stirred in him. It was a strange feeling, something he couldn't understand and he didn't like that. The longer her touch lingers, the more confusing it gets. Not liking being confused, Sasuke slapped her hand away.

"S-Sorry!" She immediately apologized, fearing that she had offended him by touching his face, "I- just wanted to –"

"It's just a small cut." He cut her off. "You don't have to treat it. It'll heal by itself."

"O-Okay." Her head hung low. Her voice was down.

Sasuke sighed. He wasn't going to apologize. Yes he had brushed her hand off rudely, but he wasn't going to say sorry just because of that. It would be unlike his character. Besides, it was her fault for making him feel something he couldn't comprehend. It was her fault for making him confused.

"Are we going to resume training?" Her soft voice broke his train of thoughts. He didn't answer immediately and stared at the sky instead.

"The sun is setting." He said. "It'll be dark soon so it's better if we go back to the hut. We can have one more sparring session after dinner."

"Okay!" She chirped and went to pick up some of the arrows on the ground so that she could reuse them again before returning to the hut. Walking behind her as they made their way back, Sasuke watched her carefully, trying to understand that strange feeling he felt just now.

He watched the way she walked, the way her hips moved, the way she smiled when she heard birds chirping or squirrels scurrying. He observed them all from her curves to her facial features and once again the strange feeling returned.

But again, he still couldn't understand it.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Naruto slumped onto his chair, the piles of paperwork increasing and untouched on his desk as he hadn't been in the office for a day. He clutched his stomach and banged his head against his desk wishing that he could sleep at home. He didn't enter the office yesterday because of a stomach upset, thanks to over eating some ramen the night before, and even till now his stomach was grumbling. He wished he could continue resting at home, but he knew he couldn't because not being in the office for just a day would mean numerous workloads when he returned.

The evidence was right in front of his eyes, now on his desk.

Sighing, Naruto forced himself to read all those papers, not wanting to accumulate them further. The last thing he needed was for his office to be completely filled by his paperwork.

"Yo."

Naruto immediately jerked back in shock, messing up his paperwork in the process. He groaned and looked up at his visitor.

"Kakashi-sensei, you just messed up my paperwork."

"Nope, you messed that up yourself," Kakashi grinned behind the mask, "And since you're the Hokage, I thought you would have sensed my presence."

"Sorry, I think I let my guard down for a while."

"You know you can't afford that right?"

"But I'm tired. And my stomach hurts~" Naruto whined.

"Who asked you to eat 100 bowls of ramen?"

"Iruka-sensei was paying. I'm just taking advantage." Naruto grinned.

"And now poor Iruka will be hungry for the next month . . ."

"Heh. I'll treat him one day!" Naruto grinned wider. "So what brings you here? I don't have any more perverted books to lend you!"

"Ah I'm sad," Kakashi mellowed dramatically, "I thought you would have more. I've already completed the previous collection you gave me."

"Pervert. If it's not for Ero-sannin's old collection, I would have never given you any."

"Ah Naruto, you have just hurt your sensei's heart." Kakashi acted hurt before grinning, "Glad to see you are back to your normal self."

Naruto blinked and smiled at his sensei's words. "I'm glad too." He grinned playfully. "Help me out with my paperwork?"

"No." Came Kakashi's straight response.

"Oh come on Kakashi-sensei! Sai isn't here to help so please help me!" Naruto whined. "Pleaseee."

"Nope."

"Fine." The blonde groaned. "At least help me find Sai? He hasn't reported yet, strangely."

Before Kakashi could agree, the door swung open and Sai entered looking rather grim. "Naruto."

"Sai! Where have you been?" He asked cheerfully despite the gloomy aura Sai was emitting.

"He's here." Sai told him. "The Lord of Hidden Rain has arrived."

Naruto's eyes widened taking in those words. The mood in the room was dampened greatly. After all, just thinking about that man would make him angry. He clenched his fist and grimaced.

"So he's here eh . . . That bastard."

**xXXxXXxXxXXxXXxXXx**

Shikamaru had this huge urge to roll his eyes when he saw the fancy carriage entering Konoha's gates. He didn't have to guess to know that was the carriage the lord of Hidden Rain was in. Since he was the ambassador of Konoha, it was his duty to greet all the visitors – important ones especially – at the gates when they come to visit. As much as he wanted to punch this Lord in the face for giving Konoha so much problems, he restraint himself and put on his professional front. As much as he despised this man, Shikamaru didn't want to risk a war.

However, he couldn't help but cringed when a Hyuuga passed him and greeted the lord before Shikamaru could provide the official greetings and it annoyed him even more when he saw the smug on the lord's face when he stepped out of the carriage.

"Satoshi-sama," the Hyuuga spoke, "Hiashi-sama has sent me here to greet you upon your arrival. The Hyuuga clan is more than happy to accommodate you during your visit here."

"Ah that's nice of the clan. I am looking forward to spend some time with my father in law."

"Sorry to intrude your little family reunion," Shikamaru cut off their conversation, "but our Hokage would like to see you as soon as possible, Satoshi-sama. After that, you'll be free to do whatever you please, including catching up with your . . . in-laws."

"Ah forgive me, erm . . ."

"Nara Shikamaru."

Ah forgive me, Shikamaru. I'm just excited to see my wife's family again." He grinned. "I assume you are the ambassador of Konoha?"

"Yes."

"Then lead the way."

"Follow me."

Satoshi of the Hidden Rain was about to follow but the Hyuuga stopped him. "I'll take your belongings and put them in the Hyuuga compound. Please follow Nara Shikamaru for now, Satoshi-sama. After that, I'll escort you back to the Hyuuga compound."

"Very well." He smirked. "Now Shikamaru, we can't keep your Hokage waiting, right?"

Shikamaru cursed under his breath but refused to retort as he led the way to the Hokage's office where Naruto was already waiting outside.

"Satoshi, Lord of Hidden Rain," Naruto greeted formally, "It's an honor to have you here visiting our village."

"Well, you should know the reason why I'm here, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Yes I do in fact, which is why I rather cut the formalities and go straight to the point," Naruto gazed at him sternly, "Who are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You may have fooled the Hyuuga clan, but you can't fool me. Satoshi, that's not your real name isn't it?"

"I'm not sure what you are talking about." Satoshi laughed.

"Part of your chakra," Naruto continued, "is familiar, but it's mixed with another, which is why none of us can figure out who you are, but that one part of your chakra, I know it. I fought it before, but somehow, you manage to prevent any of us from figuring it out. It's obvious that you are up to something, or else why hide your true self? That's why I'm giving you a chance to come clean, who are you really?"

"You should be ashamed by such accusation, Uzumaki Naruto. Shouldn't you be wary that I can cut ties with your village and we are no longer allies?"

"Is that a threat?" Naruto smirked. "Are you that afraid of us finding out the truth about you that you threatened to cut ties with our village? If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid, Satoshi. Unless you really are hiding something."

Silence lingered as the two leaders stared at each other, both wary, until Satoshi laughed. Naruto frowned.

"Now I know what the perverted Sannin sees in you," Satoshi chuckled darkly, "you are quite intuitive."

Naruto's eyes widened as the lord of Hidden Rain approached him closer and whispered into his ears, "Now that you know Satoshi is just an alias, what are you going to do? Everyone else knows me as Satoshi of Hidden Rain. Without evidence, you can't prove anything, Uzumaki Naruto, you can't prove that I'm not really Satoshi, but someone else . . ."

"Also . . ." Satoshi grinned, " . . . shouldn't you be worried about Hyuuga Hinata instead of wondering about my _'true'_ identity? If my identity was even fake in the first place. I heard your friend Uchiha Sasuke is with her. I wonder how the other villages will react if I say that the Uchiha Sasuke has kidnapped my wife. Will they listen to your pleas to let him go again? I don't think so . . because they will see how much of a threat Uchiha Sasuke really is."

Naruto remained calm, "They won't punish him without proper investigation."

"How can you be so sure? Uchiha Sasuke . . . has wounded the hearts of many. I don't think some are willing to forgive him twice. Second chances only come once."

Naruto clenched his fist but chose not to say anything. Satoshi's grin widened. "Then when the other villages finally see that Uchiha Sasuke is too dangerous to be allowed to roam free on his own, they will help me in finding him and my wife . . . And when they're found, I'll make sure Sasuke is sentenced heavily. Maybe even sentenced him to death . . ."

Naruto grimaced at those words.

"And Hinata . . . Beautiful Hinata . . . I'll make sure she'll never step foot into Konoha again. She'll be stuck in Hidden Rain, right by my side, where I can do whatever I want with her, touch her where no man has . . . because she's legally mine."

"You . . .!" Naruto glared at him in fury. "Don't you dare!"

Satoshi laughed harder. "It's nice talking to you, Uzumaki Naruto, I wish we could talk longer, but I have to meet with the Hyuuga clan too you know? They deserve to know that their beloved former heiress is taken hostage by Uchiha Sasuke . . ."

"You bastard! Sasuke didn't even kidnap her!"

Satoshi chuckled again. "With proper words, they will believe in me. Many will."

"You won't get away with this. I'll make sure you won't. I'll reveal the truth."

"Happy finding." Satoshi laughed darkly. "Oh, the longer we talk here, the longer you try to find the 'truth', the higher chances my men have in locating them, Uzumaki Naruto . . . because I don't think you are trying hard enough to save them. Maybe that perverted Jiraiya put his faith in you a little bit too much . . . "

Naruto's eyes widened. Satoshi smirked.

"It's been fun talking to you. I wish you good luck, Uzumaki Naruto . . . You'll need it."

With that said, the lord of Hidden Rain left with sly smug on his face, leaving Uzumaki Naruto bewildered.

And extremely furious.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, the strange signature came from here, commander."

The commander of the Rain Ninjas examined the location where the strange energy signature was felt. While rounding the forest, one of them had detected the signature. He didn't think much of it and he wasn't strong enough to detect if fully, which was why he had called the commander to investigate further.

The rain ninjas observed as their commander inspect the place. "It seems to be some sort of energy, for some sort of barrier."

"A barrier? That means . . ."

"Our targets could be hiding inside." The commander smirked.

What should we do, commander?"

"What Lord Satoshi ordered us to do. We'll break it."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx **

The sound of shattered glass alerted Sasuke and Hinata from outside and they rushed back into the hut to see what had happened. Sasuke examined the compound checking for any intruders as Hinata immediately rushed to the old lady's aid.

"What happened?" She asked, worry filled her eyes as Hyuuga Aiko was trembling. Seeing the shattered glass, Hinata took a broom and swept them away carefully, not wanting any shards to hurt the fragile old lady.

"The barrier . . ." Aiko finally said after finding her voice, ". . . has been breached."

"What do you mean by breached? You said the barrier would hide our presence?" Sasuke appeared after checking the area.

"It does hide your presence. Enemies can't sense you, but the better ones will be able to detect the barrier's signature. Now that's it's been breached, it's a matter of time before they can sense you as well," the old lady frowned, "quickly pack up. The two of you must escape before they reach here."

"I can fight them off." Sasuke argued.

"No, pack up! NOW!"

Since the old lady was vehement in wanting them to leave, they immediately packed up, stuffing their belongings into their packs. There was no time to be organized now.

"Take this with you." The old lady shoved a bag to Hinata. "They contain herbs and medicine. It'll be useful for your journey."

"Thank you. . ."

"Also . . ." Aiko murmured and pulled Hinata closer to her and whispered a chant to her. "If the time comes where you need a barrier, recite that chant. The barrier will be put up and hide your presence. You got it?"

"Yes."

"Ok good. Now hurry, we need to go out." Aiko led them out of the house. "Quickly leave. I'll hold them back."

"No, we can't leave you alone here!" Hinata protested.

"I'm not giving you a choice, Hinata. Now leave!"

"B-But . . ."

"No buts! Uchiha, take her away from here now." Aiko ordered. "Protect her."

"I can fight them off."

"The Hyuuga's safety is more important than fighting them off! Now go!"

Before any of them could protest any further, a number of kunais flew straight towards them at fast speed, passing a stunned Hyuuga Aiko in the process. Realizing who they were aiming for, Sasuke grabbed Hinata and pulled her to him attempting to block the kunais from hitting her. With his speed, he managed to dodge most of them except for one, where it stabbed his right arm that was shielding her.

He didn't winced, neither did he grunted as the kunai stabbed his arm and blood seeped out from the wound. Hinata's eyes widened at the open wound but she couldn't do anything, yet alone move, as Sasuke was holding her tight.

"S-Sasuke-kun!"

He let go of her and begrudgingly pulled out the kunai from his arm. The old lady gaze at him, from his wounds and then deep into his eyes and Sasuke understood what she wanted him to do. Taking Hinata's hands in his, he didn't bother to listen to her protests as he pulled her along with him, going further and further away from the hut.

"No! Sasuke-kun! We can't leave her! We must help her! Sasuke-kun!"

"It's her wish."

"Sasuke-kun!"

But her protests continued to be unheeded. She tried to squirm away from him, but his grip on her hands was tight. There was no way she could escape from his strong grip.

_'Aiko-san . . . please be all right . . .'_

Back at the hut, Hyuuga Aiko smiled thinly as she waited for the intruders to appear. They finally did, a group of rain ninjas staring at her with cold eyes.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know who you are talking about." Aiko smiled.

Unfazed by the old lady's lack of cooperation, the leaders ordered his men to search the premises, but Aiko used her chakra to block them going further.

"It's rude to enter someone else's territory without permission," Aiko said.

"We have no time to deal with you."

"Then find time." She provoked.

The leader looked pissed. He turned to his men again, giving them another order. "Get rid of her, she's annoying."

The other rain ninjas listened and prepared to strike her. Hyuuga Aiko got into her stance and smiled as she allowed her thoughts to wonder.

_'I've lived in this world for far too long, roaming in search for some peace. Now it's time for me to make way to the younger generation, to allow them to make things right and fix the mistakes the past generation did, the mistakes that I did . . . Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke . . . it's been a joy meeting you two, a Hyuuga and an Uchiha bound by fate. Good luck with your journey. This is the least I can do for you both. Giving you time.'_

Deeper in the forest, Sasuke and Hinata kept on running. His grip on her hand had loosened now and she wondered if it was because he trusted her not to run back to the hut or whether he was losing energy. At that thought, Hinata couldn't help but noticed that Sasuke looked strangely paler now . . .

"Sasuke-kun? Are you all right?"

Before an answer was given, a loud explosion was heard. Hinata looked back, and saw the thick smoke coming from the direction they came from, exactly at where the old lady's hut was.

"N-No . . ."

She tried sensing the old lady's chakra but dropped to her knees when she sensed nothing. Hyuuga Aiko's chakra no longer existed in this world. Hinata knew exactly what that meant, but she didn't want to believe it.

"N- No . . ."

She tried again and again hoping to find at least a spark of her chakra, but again there was nothing. There was no spark; no sign of life, her chakra was completely gone. Realizing what it meant and that her selfishness of running away from Amegakure had taken away an innocent life, Hinata let out a strangled cry. Hyuuga Aiko, an innocent old lady who chose to help them on her own free will and got involved in her mess was completely gone, killed, dead, erased from this world.

And it was all because of her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for all the favs, alerts and reviews :)**

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 13**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing**

* * *

The Hyuuga clan was strangely lively today and Hanabi had no idea why. All the servants were busy tidying up the compound as well as preparing extravagant meals as if a special guest was coming over. The last time the compound was this lively was when that bastard leader from Hidden Rain came over to pick the bride, Hinata, up during the wedding, where the compound was filled with cheers and laughter but none realized the fake smile the bride had on her face. For a clan with the 'all seeing eyes', they were definitely fooled by the facade Hinata had put up on her wedding day. Or perhaps they had noticed, but they just pretended not to, because they didn't care.

However Hanabi noticed, which was why that day was one of the worst days of her life, seeing her sister's sad smile when she was pulled into the carriage and was never heard off again ever since then. The memory continued to haunt her till now and even when Hanabi tried to forget, she couldn't. Hinata's sad smile was forever etched on her mind that she felt the clan didn't have the right to celebrate again until she saw her sister's true smile again. What right do they have to be happy when they had sent her elder sister to her misery?

Thus now when she saw the clan cleaning up and decorating the compound for whatever joyous occasion, Hanabi felt angry. She had this urge to destroy all those decorations put up and make the compound empty again, like exactly how she felt ever since they sent her sister away.

"What are you standing there for?" Neji's voice snapped her out from her reverie.

"Ahh nii-san," Hanabi blinked, "what's the occasion?"

"Haven't you heard?" Neji stared at her, looking rather surprised, "Your beloved brother in law is visiting."

"What?!"

"Yes, and the clan is making a huge deal about it. They even asked the branch house members to assemble outside to give him a grand welcome," Neji remarked bitterly. "Lucky for me, I have to go to a mission soon, or else I'll have to join in and greet that bastard."

"This is too much . . ." Hanabi cursed under her breath and stomped away without saying anything else. Neji wasn't surprised. Hanabi had a temper after all. He just wondered what she was up to going off all angry like that.

"Where are you going?" Neji asked out of concern.

"Where else?" She snarled. "To greet my _beloved_ brother in law!"

Neji would have stopped her if he wasn't rushing for his mission. He knew that when she said she was going to greet him, she was actually planning to cause a ruckus instead. Though Neji would love to see the grand welcoming marred by Hanabi's rage, he rather not have her got herself into trouble. The Hyuuga clan was after all strict when it comes to punishment. Neji sighed and decided to delay the mission for a while to go after his younger cousin. He found her standing outside the main gate, shouting curses at the incoming carriage.

"You bastard! I'm not going to let you enter this compound!" She screamed, blocking the way, preventing the carriage from passing the gates. Her actions had attracted some attention, especially among the branch members who were supposed to welcome the Lord. They watched with surprise and amusement as the future leader of the clan shouted profanities at their carriage, demanding him to get out.

"You bloody coward! Get the hell out of here and face me!"

"Hanabi-chan, Hanabi-chan~" Satoshi stepped out with a smirk, but he didn't look too happy. "What is making Hanabi-chan so angry?"

"Your face!" She snarled.

"Hanabi-chan~ That's not a nice way to treat your brother in law you know," Satoshi whined.

"You're not my brother in law. I will never ever see you as one."

Satoshi frowned. "You are very rude."

"Because you don't deserve my respect! You, the bastard who makes my Aneki's life miserable! You don't deserve my respect, or any form of respect actually. You should be treated like shit because you treat others like shit and because you are shit! You are a moron, a freaking bastard who shouldn't be here!"

"Hanabi." A stern voice snapped her out of her cursing. She recognized that voice and hesitantly looked back. She stiffened slightly, seeing her father sending right behind her with an angry frown on him.

"Father."

"What are you doing? Creating a ruckus? Where are your pride, honor and principles? You are embarrassing yourself and the Hyuuga clan!"

"Pride? Honor? Principles? Well father, to let you know, I don't give a damn about those things."

"Hanabi!"

"Why should I care about a clan who doesn't care about its members?!"

Hearing this, Hiashi's eyes widened in fury as he raised his hand to slap her, except that it wasn't his daughter that he had slapped as someone had got in between them.

"Neji." Hiashi groaned bitterly. "Get out of the way. This is none of your concern."

"Forgive me for intruding, Hiashi-sama," Neji bowed respectfully, "But please forgive Hanabi-sama for now. She's been having a hard time ever since Hinata-sama was sent away. She misses her sister a lot, causing her to act irrationally sometimes. Do not punish her here, not in front of our guest. I will keep an eye of her as you entertain our guest. I'll make sure Hanabi-sama ponders about her actions."

Hiashi gazed at his nephew incredulously. "Fine." He relented. "Make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble."

"Very well Hiashi-sama." Neji bowed and pulled Hanabi away from the scene. She protested, but Neji gave her a glare which she immediately understood. Neji was doing this for her so that she wouldn't get a bigger punishment.

"Your youngest daughter is quite feisty, huh?" Satoshi commented as he observed the younger Hyuuga being pulled away.

"Yes. Unfortunately, she has reached that age where she has become quite rebellious . . ."

Satoshi chuckled. "Take care of her my dear father in law, or you might lose your other daughter as well."

Hiashi grimaced, but chose not to comment on his words, saying something else instead. "How have you been?"

"Not good. Your daughter's disappearance has been giving me a headache." Satoshi lamented.

"I apologize about that. I didn't expect Hinata to go such lengths. I assure you that the Hyuuga clan is doing all we can to find my daughter and return her to you. She'll be punished when she's found."

"That's nice. She shouldn't be let off easily or she might do it again," Satoshi smirked.

Hiashi remained silent as he led his guest towards the hall. Satoshi beamed at the treat he was going to receive, seeing the scrumptious food prepared and waiting to be eaten in the main hall.

"You shouldn't have gone so far."

"It's our duty as Hyuugas to serve our guest well. Besides, you are family now." Hiashi said, "Take a seat and let's have a chat."

"Would love to." Satoshi sat down in front of him and smirked as the servant poured him a cup of tea.

"Before Hinata ran away," Hiashi began, "was she a good wife?"

"Not really. For someone so quiet, she's quite stubborn. I had to activate the seal quite a number of times just to have my way with her."

Hiashi remained impassive. "You do know that activating the seal too many times will ultimately kill her, right?"

"I can't help myself." He grinned deviously.

"How many times have you activated the seal?"

"I can't remember." Satoshi chuckled. "Why? Worried?"

"I gave her away, but she is still my daughter."

"You know that the seal would kill her, but you still allowed it to be implanted on her. You don't really like her, don't you?" Satoshi remarked. Hiashi remained silent. The Lord of Hidden Rain decided to continue. "If you're worried, you shouldn't have taught me how to activate the seal, but you did. I can't help myself. Sometimes, I just have impulses and desires to activate it. In the end, if she does die, you and your clan are to be blamed, because you are the ones who gave her the seal, not me."

Hiashi remained silent, seemingly unfazed by his comments as he continued to sip his cup of tea. Satoshi grinned. "I guess you really don't care, not that I bother about that. Now I just wonder if I should tell you this piece of news regarding Hinata-chan."

Hiashi looked up and met Satoshi's gaze. "What news?"

"Oh you want to know?"

"Like I have said, Hinata is still my daughter. I have the right to know."

Satoshi grinned, before his expression changed to one akin to pain. However, Hiashi noticed that it didn't look genuine, which means that he was probably faking it, but Hiashi didn't say anything and simply observed his son-in-law warily.

"What is the news regarding Hinata?"

"My darling Hinata-chan," Satoshi sniffed, "was taken away by Uchiha Sasuke."

For someone who was always calm and collected, Satoshi could tell that Hiashi was affected by his words from the way his hand was gripping his cup. He was clutching it tightly where Satoshi was sure that if Hiashi was to use more strength, the cup would break.

"Please explain." Hiashi managed to say, but his voice was strained.

"I sent out my men to find her. They found her, but . . . all of a sudden, Uchiha Sasuke appeared. My men stood no chance. They were eliminated by that Uchiha," he grimaced, "and then he took my Hinata-chan away and ran."

"So what you are trying to say is . . ." Hiashi paused, trying to clear his thoughts. " . . . that Uchiha Sasuke kidnapped by daughter?"

"Yes." Satoshi answered solemnly. "That bastard Uchiha has kidnapped Hinata-chan, father. Your daughter. My wife."

Hiashi said nothing but from his eyes, Satoshi knew he was currently distraught, and indeed he was. Questions were swirling in his mind. Why would Sasuke kidnap Hinata? Those two weren't close. The rivalry among the Hyuuga clan and the Uchiha clan prevented them from being close. Hiashi's eyes never missed out anything, and he knew his daughter didn't even have any sort of friendship with the Uchiha when he was still in the village, so why would he take her away? Why Hinata?"

"Father, are you okay?" Satoshi asked, hiding the amusement in his eyes.

"I'm fine." Hiashi answered. "Thank you for informing me. The Hyuuga clan will look into this. Uchiha Sasuke must be dealt with severely. How dare he take my daughter away!"

"That's true. Sasuke is a dangerous man." Satoshi smirked. "We must save poor Hinata-chan from him."

"Do whatever it takes to find her, Satoshi. She's your wife." Hiashi frowned.

"Of course. I'll definitely do whatever it takes," he grinned, "oh look at the time! I need to go now. I must keep looking for Hinata-chan Nice talking to you, father."

Hiashi escorted Satoshi to the compound's gates where the Rain Ninjas, his guards, were waiting. They exchanged a few more words before Satoshi left in the carriage and Hiashi rushed back to the compound. He made a few turns and stood in front of the door. Taking a deep breath, he entered the room of the elders.

"Satoshi has left?" The elders asked the moment Hiashi entered, bowing politely.

"Yes, he has to keep looking for Hinata now that . . ."

"Now that?" the elders enquired.

"According to Satoshi, Uchiha Sasuke has kidnapped Hinata. He killed the Rain Ninjas after her and took her away, which means Hinata is with Uchiha Sasuke now."

"We must find her immediately!" One of them warned. "She must not stay with the Uchiha long!"

"Why the rush?" Another countered. "If the Uchiha isn't hurting her, we should take our time to plan our actions. Uchiha Sasuke isn't someone we can beat easily."

"Are you insane? As much as Hinata is pathetic, you can't deny that she's attractive. What if the Uchiha, who has lost his clan and has the desire to revive it, kidnapped her so that she can bear his children? Uchiha-Hyuuga hybrids outside the clan's control will be trouble!"

"Hiashi, we must not let that happen. A new bloodline limit that is outside our control is outrageous! We must find her immediately and that Uchiha must be dealt with! Go to the Hokage! Complain to him! No we shouldn't. Naruto is too soft. It's his fault that the Uchiha can roam free and now Hinata is taken by him! So we must complain to the other Kages! Write letters to each Kage and tell them about the Uchiha. Our nobility will make it impossible for them to ignore our request. We must find Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke must be dealt with!"

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXX**

Back in the carriage, Satoshi grinned deviously at the letter he received from the Hyuuga Clan just before he left the village gates. He read it again and again, his grin widening the more he read it, and chortled madly.

_Request for All-Kage meeting._

_The Hyuuga clan would like to request for an all Kage meeting to be held to deal with Uchiha Sasuke who has taken Hyuuga Hinata, our ex-heiress hostage. The venue will be to the convenient of all Kages._

_Uchiha Sasuke has been allowed to roam free after the trial, provided that he did not do anything harmful, but now that he has kidnapped Hyuuga Hinata, killing some Rain Ninjas who wanted to bring her back in the process, he has broken the clause._

_Uchiha Sasuke must be punished. He no longer deserves his freedom. We must come together and deal with him, and for that this meeting must take place._

Satoshi didn't bother to read the rest, but he continued laughing madly as if he had just earned the world.

"My lord. . ."

"Everything is going as I planned," he chortled, "now I just have to sit back and watch. And if I just act to be distraught since my wife was taken by that Uchiha, I know the Kages will believe me more. Ahh Sasuke being an unlikeable person makes it easier. The Kage meeting will be very interesting. How is Naruto going to defend that Uchiha now?" he grinned, "I can't wait!"

And Satoshi laughed madly in his journey home, excited to see how things are going to play out. Perhaps he could even achieve everything without revealing his identity. If everything goes his way, he can have his Hyuuga back . . .

. . . and maybe even the Uchiha as well.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"Naruto . . ." Sai called out, trying to get the attention of the Hokage who seemed to be frozen on his desk ever since the Rain Lord had left.

"Yeah?"

Sai frowned, wondering how he was going to break this recent news to him. He knew Naruto was already troubled and this piece of news would only affect him more.

"What is it Sai?"

"The Hyuuga clan," Sai hesitated, "has called for an all-Kage meeting."

Naruto banged his head onto the desk. "I screwed up didn't I . . ."

"No you didn't. You controlled your emotions quite well even though that man pissed you off a lot. You didn't hit him. That's remarkable. Since you didn't touch him, he couldn't really complain and call for a meeting."

"But an all Kage meeting . . ."

"That Satoshi must have influenced the Hyuuga clan to come with this decision somehow." Sai frowned. "We can still sway them onto our side. Shikamaru is looking onto Satoshi's background now. You must not give up, Naruto."

"I know." Naruto smiled weakly.

"I'll help out Shikamaru with the search. I'll take my leave."

"Thank you Sai."

Sai bowed and left the room. Once he was gone, Naruto frowned and rubbed his head.

"An all Kage meeting eh . . ." he mumbled ". . . in this situation, it'll be great to have an ally."

Without wasting time, Naruto took out a piece of paper and began writing.

"And who else can I ask, other than you?"

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Still on her knees, she couldn't move. Her tears were still falling. She was distraught. Her mind was still refusing to accept that Hyuuga Aiko was dead, but she knew it was true and it was her fault. It was all because of her that she died. She involved an innocent woman into her messed up escapade, and now that woman was killed while she, the one they were really after, was still alive. No matter how she looked at it, Hinata could only blame herself, and she knew she could never forgive herself after this. Not at all.

"Hinata. We must go." She heard Sasuke's voice behind her, but she remained still.

"We could have saved her . . . We should have stayed behind and helped her!" Hinata yelled and hit the ground with her fists. "She shouldn't have died!"

"Hinata!" Sasuke grabbed her, forcing her to look at him. "It's her will. She wants you to be safe, so we must go. _Now_."

"Even if it's her will, we shouldn't have left her alone! We killed her! I can't go! How can I run away when she died because of me?"

"Hinata . . ." Sasuke groaned, his voice weak all of a sudden, "Honor her death by respecting her last wish. If you want, I will. She wants you to be safe. I'll make sure you are safe."

Sasuke wanted to pull her, but his grip loosened instead as his head fell on her shoulder. Hinata's eyes widened as she felt his heavy breathing on her. Uchiha Sasuke was panting, and his body was cold, very cold.

"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata called out, but Sasuke only kept on panting. "Sasuke-kun? What's wrong?"

Worried, Hinata held his arm and gently placed him down, allowing him to lean against a tree. She realized then his face was extremely pale and he was covered by sweat. He was clutching his bleeding arm and Hinata pulled his hand away to examine her wound. With her Byakugan, she knew what exactly was wrong.

"Poison . . ."

Sasuke chuckled. "Must be the kunai."

Her eyes widened as she recalled Sasuke protecting her from some incoming kunais. While he had evaded most, one did hit him. That kunai must have been coated by poison, a strong one in fact for the fact that he was currently like this.

Hinata trembled, realizing that again it was her fault that someone was hurt. "I'm sorry . . ."

"Stop apologizing," Sasuke cut off weakly, "it's annoying. Taking the hit for you was my choice, so stop apologizing."

Hinata smiled weakly and wanted to heal up the wound, but Sasuke stopped her as he sensed incoming chakra and she sensed it too. The Rain ninjas were coming.

"Go. . . I'll hold them off." Sasuke offered weakly and wanted to stand up, but Hinata pushed him down, locking a few of his chakra points to immobilize him.

"What the . . ." he growled in protest.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun. I can't let you fight, and I can't let the poison flow deeper into your system either. Locking your chakra points will stop the flow of the poison for a while. So sit still and don't move. This time, I'll protect you."

Sasuke watched her carefully as she stood up and wielded her bow. He could only observe as chakra coated her palms, transferring it to her bow. Her expression was determined. Byakugan activated, she raised her weapon and aimed. She paused and waited, as if waiting for the right moment, and then Hinata fired her shot.

With the old lady out of the picture, few of the Rain Ninjas stayed behind to investigate the house while others continued to be in pursue. They could detect two sets of chakra – one dominant and the other weakening— and they knew it had to be the two they were looking for. They headed towards the direction of the chakra in fast speed, until an arrow appeared out of nowhere and pierced one of them on the leg. All of a sudden, more arrows coated with chakra appeared, gliding towards them fast. Some managed to avoid behind hit, while others weren't so lucky. However, despite that, some of the ninjas were still heading towards her.

Hinata continued shooting. She increased the amount of chakra inserted into the arrow to make her shots stronger. She leapt from trees to trees, carefully aiming, hitting most of them in the legs. Her shots were making them confused, and thanks to hitting their legs, she managed to slow them down. They were still 5km away, but she could not afford to waste time now. With time, she knew they would arrive soon.

Hinata frowned and looked at Sasuke who was panting heavily now. He needed a place to rest. They could not afford to go to any town right now when they are being pursued. However a secluded area to rest in would be great. Scanning around the area, Hinata saw a cave 6km away from here. It was rather secluded, making it a good hiding spot. She must get him to somewhere safe, but she couldn't do that herself, as he was much heavier than her. She might have managed to slow down the Rain Ninjas, but if she was to carry Sasuke, her speed would be slow and they might catch up. She could summon few clones to carry Sasuke away to that cave, but she wondered if her clones could carry him and move swiftly while shouldering him. Hinata has one more option though, but she had never tried it before. However now, it seemed like she didn't have much choice.

Biting her thumb, she allowed it to bleed as she did a few hand seals before pushing her bleeding thumb to the ground. Before she was sent away, Neji had thought her this summon, but Hinata never once tried it before as she didn't believe in her ability then to call out and control the summon. However now, she didn't really have much choice. The summon could help her carry Sasuke to the cave. She just has to hope that the summon would listen to her, whatever the summon was.

Hinata quivered slightly as thick white smoke appeared and waited for it to clear. Her eyes widened when then smoke finally cleared, allowing her to see the creature she had summoned. She tried not to tremble as its piercing eyes gaze her deeply, as if looking into her soul and Hinata could not find her words as she stared back into its eyes – the eyes of the eagle.

"You are not Neji." It said in a menacing tone.

"S-Sorry, I'm Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata."

"Did you summon me?" the huge bird spoke and Hinata meekly nodded.

"I need your help," she murmured.

"And why you should I help you?"

"Because I summoned you. That . . ." Hinata hesitated, ". . . makes me your master now."

"You don't look worthy enough to be called my master."

"I'll prove my worth to you soon," Hinata said determined, "but now, I need your help to bring Sasuke-kun to safety. The enemies are coming but Sasuke-kun is in no condition for fight, and it's dangerous for him to be here. I need to treat his wounds, but I can't do it here in the open. I managed hold the enemy back and slow them down, but now I must bring him to somewhere safe. Please help. _Please_."

The Eagle stared at her and examined her closely. From the weak girl it first saw just now, she had suddenly changed to a determined one. He could see from her eyes that she badly wanted to safe her friend—that this man's safety is more important than her life. From her eyes, he could tell that she desires to protect those precious to her.

"Very well," it said finally, "tell me where to."

Hinata told it above the secluded cave. It understood the directions, and gently, Hinata supported Sasuke who was barely conscious now up as the eagle lowered itself to allow both of them to ride it. She rested Sasuke on her lap as her summon flew off making its way towards the cave. She was thankful that the forest trees would block the eagle from sight as it flew in the sky. While it flew, Hinata checked on Sasuke. She placed her hand on his forehead and retreat it immediately. His body was burning up.

"P-Please hold on, Sasuke-kun."

The Eagle hovered down and landed in front of the cave. Hinata thanked it, where it then immediately disappeared into a puff of smoke without saying anything. She made a mental note to herself to ask for the eagle's name if she was to summon it again.

She brought Sasuke into the cave and gently placed him down against the wall. She then stepped outside and mumbled the mantra Hyuuga Aiko had taught her. The barrier might have been breached last time, but she would like to believe in the old lady's technique. She would like to believe that the barrier would protect them now for now, at least while she healed Sasuke's injury till his recovery.

Once the barrier was up, Hinata rushed back inside and rummaged the bag of medicine herbs and medicinal tools Hyuuga Aiko had given her before they left. The old lady had provided for them a lot and it still pained her to know that she was gone. She tried to hold back her tears while searching for the correct herbs. She must not cry now. She needed to be strong. Sasuke needs treatment.

It was in this situation where Hinata felt thankful to have knowledge on medicinal herbs. While the Hyuugas focused more on strength than healing, Hinata had secretly learnt about herbs when she was young from one of the servants. Since she despised fighting, she thought perhaps she could be useful in healing, thus she was really eager to learn about them. However, the elders found out and disapprove of this. Hyuugas do not heal, they had said. The lessons were immediately put to an end and the servant who taught her was removed immediately. However, Hinata had never forgotten all the things she had learnt.

She heard the Uchiha groaned as she looked for the right herbs. She gave him a worried glance and realized that he must be uncomfortable since she had immobilized him. However, she could not unlock his chakra points now as it would allow the poison to flow into his system again. She had no idea how much poison had flowed into his system already and she rather not risk letting more of it into his system.

"F-Forgive me Sasuke-kun. Bear with me for a while . . ."

She sped up her search and finally she found all the herbs she needed to cure poison. Taking a bowl that once again Hyuuga Aiko had packed for her, she mixed the herbs together. She then rushed outside to find some wood to start a fire. Once that was done, Hinata placed the bowl above the flames, heating it up for a few minutes before going back to Sasuke. She sat beside him, rested his head on her lap for comfort and slowly placed the bowl near his lips.

"Drink this up Sasuke-kun. It'll be bitter, but once you drink this, I can unlock your chakra point in six hours' time . . . By then, the antidote should have washed away the poison from your system."

She had no idea if he could hear her since he seemed to be unconscious, but his eyes slowly opened, and with quivering lips, he drank up the medicine she made. She forced his head down once onto her lap once he had drank it all up, and his eyes closed again as he seemingly drifted into sleep. Hinata then bandaged up his wound and gently placed him on the ground before going out. The barrier seemed to still be functioning well so Hinata took this chance to search for some water.

In the next six hours, Hinata took care of Sasuke. She didn't sleep. She didn't rest one bit. She took care of the Uchiha diligently. Since he was burning up, she placed a rag soaked with cold water on his head to lower down his temperature and occasionally changed it every hour. Every two hours, she sat him up to let him drink some water so that he wouldn't be dehydrated and while she was doing all this, the Uchiha was unconscious – or barely conscious.

Since the hard ground must be uncomfortable to rest on, she used her lap and allowed it to be Sasuke's pillow and she waited for six hours to be up. She even sang him a lullaby, a song her mother used to sing to her when she was very young. Even when her mother was long gone, she would never forget the lullaby, the lullaby that eased her to sleep. Hopefully, it would ease Sasuke as well. Once six hours was up, Hinata unlocked his chakra points, and she watched as his features eased up a bit, but he was still asleep. He looked so peaceful now.

Unconsciously, she reached out to him and played with his hair as he rested on her lap and her mind drifted into thoughts. The only reason Sasuke was barely conscious like this was because of her. He protected her from those kunais. It was because of her he was poisoned, just like how the old lady died because of her.

Hinata clenched her fists and quietly sobbed realizing how much trouble she had brought into others. Hyuuga Aiko was just an old lady who would probably be alive if she didn't help her out and would probably be alive if she hadn't encountered her at all.

Then Sasuke . . .

He was just a wanderer. After finally achieved his freedom after the war, after being allowed to roam free without punishment for the atrocities he had done, he was just peacefully wandering before she showed up into his life. She knew because of her, his freedom was jeopardized. She had watched the trial. She knew one of the conditions of allowing him to roam free was for him to not get into trouble. As long as he remained well-behaved, as long as he didn't hurt or kill anyone, his freedom wouldn't be taken away. However because of her, Sasuke had killed again. He had killed those Rain ninjas and even though it was to save her, some who still bear a grudge on him may not see it that way. They may not believe him again.

She had messed up two lives because of her selfishness of wanting escape. If only she just stayed still, if only she just accept her fate . . . then maybe . . .

Tears fell from her eyes uncontrollably as she thought about it. She couldn't change whatever had happened to Hyuuga Aiko. She couldn't bring back the dead. She wished she could, but she couldn't. However, she could prevent something similar from happening again. She can stop making others involved into her messed up problem and she can also prevent Sasuke from getting more deeply involved . . .

Resting her hand on Sasuke's head, she smiled as his temperature had gone down. He was getting better. As expected of an Uchiha to recover very fast. Her smile faded though as she thought about what to do next. The decision was in her hands. She gazed at Sasuke again and noted his peaceful features. After all he had been through, he deserved his peace. He didn't deserve to be caught in her problems.

Gently, Hinata moved Sasuke's head off her lap and onto the ground. She checked her bag and found a piece of paper. She looked at Sasuke again before she began writing. She placed the paper near Sasuke's belongings and quietly walked to Sasuke. She squatted down and watched him sleep, her hands caressing his hair gently and lowered her head near to his ears.

"T-Thank you for everything S-Sasuke-kun. Thank you so much . . ." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes, ". . . and I'm sorry."

She then placed a soft kiss on his forehead and immediately blushed realizing what she did. She had no idea why she did it, or what made her do such a bold act. Composing herself, she stood up and walked away.

She took her bag and walked out of the cave. She didn't take down the barrier as the barrier would protect Sasuke. Outside, she took a deep breath and looked behind. This was for the better. This was the best choice. She should have done this a long time ago.

Without hesitation, Hinata walked beyond the barrier into the open forest. Sasuke didn't deserve to be punished for this. He didn't deserve to suffer because of her. No one else should suffer because of this. From this point onwards, the enemies would be able to detect her. From this point onwards, she would fight on her own. She would no longer rely on anyone. She _must not_ rely on anyone.

It was time for her to set things right. It was time for her to go through this alone.

* * *

**A/N: So I chose an eagle as her summon because well, apparently the meaning Hyuuga clan and Hinata has something to do with the sun. So I researched about 'animals of the sun' and Eagle is one of them. Also, eagle has good vision which kinda fits the Hyuuga 'all seeing eyes.' So i thought the eagle would be a good summon for someone in the Hyuuga clan. Just saying this in case anyone is curious. Ahaha.**


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the delay. It's been like a month? I'm really sorry. I have been really busy. With assignments piling up, mid terms test and a part time job, there is very little time to update now. But I'm not going to abandon this story. I already planned out till the final chapter, it would be a waste to end it. I will continue updating, but I hope you guys will be patient and bear with the slow updating okay? Finding time to type out a chapter is a privilege now. Every single minute is precious.

I'm really sorry okay?

Anyway, this is chapter 14. Thank you for your support so far_._

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu **

**Chapter 14**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. We own nothing.**

* * *

It was like any other day in Suna. The sun was shining brightly above, the villagers were rustling around town doing their daily routine in the heat – something they were already accustomed to. Unfortunately, outsiders were still trying to bear with it.

The village of Hidden Sand was well known for its heat and scarce agrarian land. Yet, the village continued to prosper, thanks to its great leadership. Ever since Gaara took the position of the Kazekage at a young age, he ensured that his village remained prosperous. He signed trading pacts and treaties with other villages since Suna had little lands suitable for agriculture. Gaara also tried his best to ensure that conflict would not occur, knowing that Suna was still not strong enough to face anyone yet, at least while they were still recovering from the war.

Besides, Gaara preferred peace, which made him more than happy to sign the peace treaties with the other Hidden Villages. He was thankful that even after the war, the Allied Nations pact remained strong, and Gaara had no intentions of breaking it. The peace they had achieved was after all difficult to attain. It was a painful process, but now that they have achieved it, Gaara hope that the peace would remain.

However now, the peace they had obtained was threatened as he read the three letters in his hands. It wouldn't be a full scale war, that he could be sure of. There would be conflict, at least between two nations, and if one of the villages involved managed to influence the rest of the great threat this problem could bring, it might just turn into a full-fledged conflict. Gaara wasn't looking forward to that.

Leaning against his chair, Gaara frowned as he read the letters again. The first letter was from Konoha, an official letter informing him of the current situation regarding Hinata, how from just an issue between two villages had evolved into something else with the involvement of a certain Uchiha. The next letter confirmed the speculation that the situation had indeed changed with the Hyuuga clan requesting for an all-Kages meeting. Why would the Hyuuga clan request for a meeting if the situation wasn't worth the efforts of the Kages? Whatever had happened, they believed it was serious enough to have the Kages involved.

The third letter on the other hand was a personal letter from Naruto. There wasn't much written on it, except for a simple greeting and one sentence which was enough to tell him how Naruto was feeling right now.

_Hey Gaara, how are you? Hope Suna is doing great._

_I ... Screwed up Gaara, I really did._

Gaara grimaced. He could tell that his friend was currently upset. He didn't have to guess why. He knew why. Gaara knew what had happened to Hinata and the guilt his friend was currently feeling. When Hinata was sent away, Naruto had confided in him when he visited Konoha after he received a sudden letter regarding Hinata's departure. Naruto had burst out his frustration to him then, cursing himself as to why he didn't help her sooner when he had the chance to, as to why he didn't tell her yes when he could and if he had done that, Hinata wouldn't be married to some freaky man.

Gaara listened to Naruto's agony that day. He didn't say anything to him. He wasn't a man of words after all, but his friend needed a listening ear, so Gaara did just that.

His face was impassive when Naruto yelled out his frustrations. One might think that Gaara didn't care, but in reality he did care, a lot. Hinata was his friend. She was a sweet girl despite her shyness, and even though Gaara was socially awkward, he found it quite easy to relate to her and warm up to her because, well, to a certain extent, she was socially awkward as well. Whether she saw him as a friend Gaara had no idea, but he was sure that he definitely saw her as one, which was why her departure and marriage had affected him just like how it affected Naruto. However, Gaara chose not to show his emotions because Naruto needed his support and the blonde Hokage didn't have to know that he was upset as well.

Truth was, Gaara was angry. He was angry at the Hyuuga clan for arranging the marriage. Perhaps he was a little upset with Naruto for not stopping it when he was the only one that could but most of all, he was angry at himself for not doing anything about it till it was too late. Why didn't he interfere when Naruto couldn't help her? Why did he allow it to happen? Perhaps because he thought that Naruto would definitely help her so there was no reason for him to get involved, but he had thought wrong. Yet, he knew Naruto shouldn't be fully blamed. If he wanted to blame someone, it was definitely the Hyuuga clan, but there was no point playing the blame game now. It wouldn't do any good to anyone, and it definitely wouldn't help Hinata.

Gaara sighed as he contemplated on the actions he should take. As much as he was worried about her, the situation didn't really involve his village at all. It was between Hidden Rain and Hidden Leaf and it was up to the other villages if they want to get themselves involved or not due to the involvement of a certain Uchiha now. He definitely could expect Hidden Cloud to be involved due the Raikage's grudge against the Uchiha, but the other villages may have their reservations.

However, Gaara also could not ignore the fact the ability of the Lord of Hidden Rain to manipulate the situation with words. There was the possibility of him making the other villages believe that the Uchiha was the evil one when in reality, Sasuke wasn't. At least that's what Gaara wants to believe. He found it strange for Sasuke to kidnap Hinata without much reason and get himself into trouble when he had finally achieved his freedom. Something else must be going on. Something deeper...

Also, Gaara was sure that if the Lord of Hidden Rain managed to manipulate the other Kages, Naruto would need support. It was likely that they wouldn't believe in Naruto's pleas anymore now that the Uchiha, the very man Naruto defended, had broken their trust. Granted, even if Gaara tried to defend Sasuke, they might not believe him as well since he did help Naruto in defending the Uchiha last time. However, two was definitely better than one, and if he chose to help Naruto, there might be a chance in letting the others sees the bigger picture, that there was something more sinister about this.

However, was he willing to get involved again? Helping Naruto would definitely break Suna's ties with Hidden Rain, not that the ties were actually useful, but he will be jeopardizing the safety of his village; the village he lead, the village he loved. However, Naruto is his friend, a good one, and Hinata too has become someone precious to him. They need help and as a friend, he should try to provide that help.

Without a second thought, Gaara took a piece of paper to carve out his reply to the Hyuuga clan to confirm his attendance. He would be at the Kages meeting to support Naruto. He would try his best in his own way to help Hinata and bring her back safely to Konoha if he was to find her, and if either Sasuke or Hinata ever needed help...

"Kankuro." his voice echoed through his office.

Barely minutes later, his elder brother stood in front of him without the usual make-up for once, his eyes tired. It was obvious that he just woke up.

"What is it calling me out early in the morning?

"It's late afternoon." Gaara told him.

"Oh." Kankuro blinked. "So what is it?

"The Hyuuga clan has called for an all-Kage meeting. I'll be going so I need you to take charge for a while."

"Does it involve our village?"

"Not really." Gaara admitted.

Kankuro frowned. "Then why must you go?"

"Because Naruto is our friend," Gaara answered, "and Konoha is our ally."

His elder brother sighed. "It's about that Hyuuga chick, isn't it?"

"That Hyuuga chick has a name, and her name is Hinata." Gaara grimaced, not fond of the way his brother had just labeled Hinata, "But yes, it involves her, and someone else,"

"Someone else?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Why is the Uchiha suddenly in the picture?" Kankuro questioned.

"It's a long story." Gaara sighed. "Read the letter from Konoha and you'll understand. "

Kankuro looked at the letter his little brother was talking about and shuddered. It was too long for his liking. "I'll pass."

"Expected." Gaara smirked. "Judging from the length of the letter, you should be able to guess why I should go for the meeting. Things are... complicated now."

"I get it. How long will you be gone?"

"Four days perhaps, or more."

"Why must I take charge? I rather be your bodyguard."

"I think Temari is enough to guard me. Besides, I need someone I can trust to run the village while I'm away."

"I'm glad you trust me brother, but I rather guard you and let Temari runs the village. You know how much I hate paperwork."

"That's my purpose of making you stay. You need to learn to love paperwork,"

"You're evil." Kankuro pouted.

"I shall take that as a compliment," he smirked and stood up, "I am going to pack up now. Watch over things for a while... Or else..."

"Fine." Kankuro relented.

The Kazekage smirked again and walked out, but stopped when he remembered something.

"Oh Kankuro."

"Yea?"

"Help me inform the guards. If either Hyuuga Hinata or Uchiha Sasuke or both come to our village to seek refuge, tell the guards no matter what status they are labeled as, be it missing nin, or a threat or whatever, just let them in."

Kankuro could tell that his brother was serious, so he chose not to argue despite the threat it might impose to the village. After all there's always a reason as to why Gaara chose to do a certain things, therefore he would like to believe that his little brother knew what was doing right now.

"Okay." Kankuro told him, deciding to put his faith on his little brother; the leader of his village. "If the time comes where they need a place to hide, we'll provide it for them."

Hearing his brother's response, Gaara allowed himself to smile before leaving the office to prepare for a certain meeting,

**XxxxxxxxxxxX**

Rushing across the forest, Kiba and Shino did not slow down as they saw the smoke thickening. They were searching deep in the forest, Shino scattering his bugs around while Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air trying to sense if there were any strange or familiar scent within the area. They were slowly looking when an explosion was heard. The sound was distant, meaning the explosion must have occurred somewhere far away from them, but it didn't stop them from being worried, because an explosion would mean that an attack had taken place, that something had happened and it must have been something big.

Shino and Kiba didn't have to look at each other to know what the other was thinking. From how the two immediately sped up towards the location of the explosion after hearing it, they knew that both of them were thinking the same thing.

Hinata could be there.

They increased their pace, wanting to reach the destination quickly, using the thick smoke as their guide. Even though the smoke was in their line of sight, the location was further than they thought as it took them at least thirty minutes to reach the scene. Once there, they were greeted by a thick fog of smoke which made it rather impossible to see their surroundings. The pungent smell of smoke was unbearable, that Kiba, due to his strong sense of smell, choked and coughed continuously because of it.

"You okay?" Shino asked, concerned as his friend looked as if he was suffocating.

"I'm fine," Kiba managed to choke out. "Scan the area. I can't sense any other chakra here, but we might find some clues and once the smoke died down, I might be able to differentiate the smell..."

"Noted. Take your time to adjust to the scent. I'll look around." Shino told his friend as he scanned the area. The smoke was affecting his vision and he wished there was some wind type jutsu to clear it up. It was then he remembered Kiba having one technique that may clear it up.

"Kiba." The bug user called out.

"Yea?"

"Your speed can clear the smoke up."

Kiba blinked. "My speed?"

"Yes, your Garoga technique, even though an offensive technique, can clear the smoke slightly due to its speed. Speed creates wind."

Kiba blinked absorbing Shino's words. "Oh."

"So?"

"Ah!" Kiba snapped out of his reverie and called out Akamaru to begin the attack. Together, the pair used the technique and randomly moved around with extreme speed, smashing themselves into a tree in the process.

"Ow." Kiba groaned and Akamaru tried to lick the bump on its owner head. Kiba grinned thankfully and looked up, his grin widened to see that some of the smoke has indeed cleared.

"Is it better now?" he asked.

Shino nodded. "We'll be able to search the area now, and the smoke won't clog up your sense of smell much now either."

"You're right!" Kiba grinned sniffing around. "I can smell the air now!"

"Inform me when your nose detects something," Shino murmured, eyeing the surroundings. It was a mess, with debris of what he assumed was from a house all over the place, "I wonder what happened here. . ."

"Seems like this place was attacked," Kiba answered with a frown, "I can smell them. . ."

"Who?"

"Rain ninjas..." Kiba paused. "With a mixture of lavenders and lightning."

Shino kept quiet, and Kiba said nothing else either. They knew what it meant. Hinata and Sasuke were here before, but something happened and they had missed them yet again. Also, whatever had happened here didn't seem good judging from the damages they were currently seeing. They could only hope that Hinata and Sasuke survived it in one piece or else . . .

"Woof!" Akamaru's bark snapped both of them from their thoughts. They turned towards the dog who was barking at what looked like a lump on the ground. At closer inspection, they realized the lump was actually a . . . body.

"What the . . ."

The body was motionless and slightly burnt, and seeing how frail the figure as well as some of the white hair they noticed, they knew the poor soul was at the golden age.

"She's not Hinata, but I can smell Hinata on her." Kiba uttered softly.

Shino frowned, his expression grim. This person has come in contact with Hinata and he could safely assume that she was killed because of it. He squatted down, giving the body his respect before walking off to examine the area further.

Kiba continued standing there though, staring at the lifeless form incredulously. His strong sense of smell allowed him to differentiate the living and the dead easily, but this body seemed off. It didn't smell alive but neither did it smelled dead. It was as if . . .

Out of curiosity, Kiba leaned in closer and sniffed again, earning him a strange glance from Shino.

"Kiba, what are you doing? We should keep moving."

"Something is off." Kiba grumbled.

Shino raised a curious eyebrow, but chose to remain silent. He knew better than anyone not to judge Kiba's acute sense of smell. If he said something was off, something must be off. Thus, Shino crossed his arms and waited when Kiba suddenly froze.

"Kiba?"

"We need to call for aid. We can't do it ourselves. We need to save her. She could help us."

"Kiba, what are you talking about?"

His friend looked up.

"This person is still . . . alive."

**XxxxxxxxX**

He felt light all of a sudden, as if his body and his mind were in two different places. Everything around him was blurry and white, making Sasuke clueless as to where he was. He remembered taking the hit for Hinata. He remembered running away from the old lady's hut taking Hinata with him as she tried to buy them time. He clearly recalled seeing Hinata dropping to her knees, crying over Hyuuga Aiko's demise, and then he suddenly felt weak. The last thing he heard was Hinata's words telling him she would protect him now, before everything went blank.

Now, he was feeling slightly dazed in a strange realm. Despite that, his body was aching and he could still feel the pain the poison was giving him. Strange, for someone who was immune to poison ever since Orochimaru's curse, he was surprised that there was a type of poison that could still immobilized him. Whoever invented the poison to hunt Hinata must have created it to surpass the immunity knowing that he was with her, which meant that he or she must be aware of Orochimaru's curse seal. Could it be that whoever was after Hinata now used to be one of Orochimaru's men? Sasuke grimaced at that thought. It seemed that there's more to this problem than he thought.

He suddenly felt a sharp pain on his arm causing him to groan. His vision was still blurry and white. There was nothing around him, and Sasuke allowed himself to lie down and rest his head against something. He had no idea what it was, but he was thankful for it as it was warm and rather comfortable. Sasuke had a feeling that he was still unconscious, but his mind was aware of his surroundings, causing him to feel the pain as well as the warmth.

All of a sudden, Sasuke felt alone. He wished there was someone with him as he tried to deal with the pain. It had always been like this, ever since the massacre. When he was young, his mother would care for him when he was in pain. She would gently tend to his wound, or his fever, and spend the night in his room to make sure that he was sleeping peacefully. She would change the cloth on his forehead frequently with a cold one to reduce his temperature and gently caress his hair as she sang a lullaby for him to sleep. However after the massacre, everything changed. There was no one to care for him. He had to deal with everything himself. No more gentle touches. No more good night kisses. No more motherly love.

He was so used to be alone that even after he had a team, even after he became friends with Naruto and Sakura, he chose not to rely on them. He chose not to rely on anyone anymore because he knew, even if Naruto or Sakura cared for him, it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be as similar as his mother's gentle touches and loving care.

Sasuke smiled bitterly and closed his eyes as he allowed the memory of his mother to fill him. He never knew he missed her so much till it pained him, that simply the thought of her wasn't enough to fill the void in his heart. He let his thoughts wonder, allowed the loneliness to creep in when he felt something warm and gentle touching his wound. Sasuke froze. He slowly opened his eyes again and saw a blurry silhouette beside him.

A silhouette of a woman.

Even though he couldn't see her face, he could tell that she has long hair and it was blue, just like his mother. The figure was tending his wound, bandaging it so gently, similar to how his mother used to care for him. Sasuke ended up staring at the figure as she cared for him. She then lifted his head up, making Sasuke realized that the comfortable cushion he was resting on was actually her lap, and placed a cup near his lips, gently allowing the liquid to flow down his throat.

It was extremely bitter, whatever it was the figure had made him drink, but Sasuke felt himself getting better. The pain was subsiding. She must have given him some sort of medicine. Sasuke uttered nothing as the figure lowered his head onto her lap again. She then placed a cold cloth on his head before leaning against the wall and gently caressed his hair. Sasuke allowed himself to relax when he then heard a soft humming tune.

It was a lullaby, the very same lullaby his mother used to sing to him.

Her voice was sweet, soft and pleasant to the ears. It was soothing in fact, easing him of his worries. Just by hearing the sweet voice humming the lullaby, the loneliness he felt just now was forgotten. He felt so much better. He no longer felt alone, because someone was here with him, taking care of him like how his mother used to.

Sasuke closed his eyes, enjoying the rare moment of peace he was feeling, but all of a sudden, the lullaby ended. The voice could no longer be heard and Sasuke felt a fear within. Was this figure, whether it was his imagination or not, going to leave him too? Was he going to be alone yet again? Was he destined to feel nothing else except for hatred and loneliness?

He was still occupied with his thoughts when he felt a tingling sensation on his forehead, followed by a strange warmness. He then heard soft whispers and it took him quite a while to catch the words, and upon hearing it, Sasuke felt bitter and loneliness crept into him once more.

_Thank you, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry..._

**XXxxxxxXX**

Sasuke knew how exactly it felt like to wake up from dreamland. He had lost consciousness during battle so many times that he could clearly recall how it felt like to linger in the 'other side.' In fact, sometimes he even ready to stay at the 'other side' permanently, but something would always pull him back to the world of living.

Now, he knew he had just returned from the 'other side.' He clearly remembered that he was in some kind of dream with a female silhouette taking care of him, but he knew it wasn't only a dream as it felt so real. Sasuke grimaced as he tried to clear his thoughts. His head was throbbing that it pained him to just open his eyes. However, he forced himself to snap out of it and opened them. With a blurry vision, Sasuke looked around, trying to make out where he was right now, but his sight wasn't helping him. He couldn't sense anyone else around either. Was he alone?

It took a while for his vision to clear making him aware that he was currently in a cave. Wondering how he got here, Sasuke recalled what had happened before this, before he was knocked out and entered the dreamland. Remembering that he was affected by some poison while trying to protect Hinata, his eyes widened and he immediately checked his wound, only to see that it had been properly bandaged. Confused, Sasuke looked around, but he was all by himself. He saw two bags, one was his, and another was a bag full of medical supplies, but Hinata's belonging was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke frowned.

Where in the world did she go?

If it wasn't for his sharp sense of sight, Sasuke would have not seen the small piece of note beside him. He picked it up and wasted no time to read it, but it only deepened his frown. Irritated, Sasuke crumpled the note and chucked it somewhere in his bag. He immediately stood up, despite still groggy and weak from being unconscious for a while and walked towards his bag, the content of the note still fresh in his mind.

_Sasuke-kun,_

_By the time you read this, I have probably left. I'm sorry for leaving without saying a proper goodbye, but this is for the best. I might hesitate later on so I must leave while I'm firm. This is for the best. You don't deserve to get into trouble because of this. You got involved with my problem too much and it caused you to get hurt. I don't want that to happen anymore. . . You deserve to be free and at peace._

_Thank you for everything Sasuke-kun. You have helped me so much when you barely know me, and I barely know you either. Yet, you helped me. You saved my life. You were there when I felt lost. Honestly, I used to pray to be found by someone, just anyone to come and help me. I never expect that someone to be you._

_You are my unlikely savior, but I'm thankful that it was you, because I got the chance to know you better. I realized you aren't as scary as people say, isn't as dark and heartless as others say. You may be cold, but deep within, he's kind. The time we spent together may not be long, but I know in that period, I can call you a friend, someone whom I can trust. Thank you Sasuke-kun, and I'm really sorry I got you involved._

_So when you read this Sasuke-kun, don't look for me. Travel around like how you used to. Pretend that you have never found me. Be free. Be at peace. Goodbye._

_Hinata._

It occurred to him then that Hinata must have been the silhouette he saw in his dream. Hinata was the one who took care of him and tend to his wounds until he was slightly better before she decided to leave for the sake of him. Sasuke scoffed. While he was thankful at her for taking care of him, he really didn't appreciate her leaving just like that even if she thought it was the best for him.

Be free? There was no way he would be free. He was already too deeply involved. The Rain Ninjas knew about his involvement. They would definitely target him now, regardless of whether he's with Hinata or not.

And be at peace? He won't. Not when he couldn't fulfill the promise he made to Hyuuga Aiko, not when he couldn't fulfill the promise he made to himself, which was to protect her. He wanted to atone to his sins and he was beginning with her. If he failed his promise to protect her, how could he forgive himself? How could he continue to atone for his sins then, if he failed his first task?

He was annoyed. Did she really expect him to let go and just forget about her the moment she left? No, there was no way he could let go. There was no way he would forget. Not when he was already deep into this shit. Not when he had made a promise to protect her.

And not when she had stirred something in him, something he still has yet to comprehend, and till he could understand it, he was not going to let her leave just like that.

Still irritated, Sasuke grabbed his belongings as well as the medical supplies and stomped out of the cave. He was still slightly weak, but he didn't care. If he waited longer, he would fall behind. The chances of finding her then may be slim.

"You are not getting rid of me easily, Hinata. Not when I'm already deeply involved in your shit."

Sasuke stepped out of the cave, feeling slightly at ease thanks to the fresh air, but that doesn't mean his irritation has subsided. He was still annoyed, and he swore once he found her, he was going to give her a piece of his mind.

She had mentioned in the note not to look for her, but Sasuke Uchiha wasn't one to obey. He had never been one to obey.

Because no matter how far she tried to run, Sasuke vowed he would find her.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXX**

Hinata could not deny the fact that she had thoughts of running back to the cave to check on Sasuke and see if he had got better the moment she left. However, she didn't and it took a lot of her willpower not to do so. As she continued on the journey herself, Hinata kept on reminding herself that Sasuke was a strong man, and that she had healed his wounds enough for him to recuperate on his own now. She had to tell herself that many times just to convince her restless heart.

Pushing Sasuke out of her thoughts, Hinata continued running, wanting to get as far away as possible. She couldn't afford to think about Sasuke now. If she wanted not to get him involved any longer, she must forget about his involvement and act nonchalant about it if anyone were to interrogate her. However, it was hard. It was confusing, and she had no idea why she was thinking about the Uchiha so much in the first place.

Hinata sighed and stopped to take in her new surroundings. She had no idea where exactly she was now, except for the fact she was in the middle of a forest. She was pretty sure she was far away from the cave now, and if Sasuke happened to wake up and attempt to look for her, he wouldn't find her easily. Well, that would be good she supposed. It would be better this way . . .

Heaving out yet another sigh, Hinata began moving again, not wanting to linger at the same spot much longer which could increase the risk of getting caught. It was then when Hinata felt a menacing chakra. She immediately stopped and activated her Byakugan to scan her surroundings, but she saw nothing. Hinata tried to sense the chakra again, but it was gone. She inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever that chakra was, she wouldn't want to encounter it again. It was deadly. She felt it, the strong killer intent before it strangely disappeared.

Hinata continued on, trying to forget the killer intent she just felt. This time though, she felt a different set of chakra, or chakras she must say. It was definitely not the menacing chakra she felt just now. These were more normal and she didn't have to guess to know who they belong to.

She had long left the barrier which would mask her chakra, hence it wouldn't be surprising if they could detect her already. She just didn't expect that it would be this fast. Taking out her bow, Hinata braced herself for an upcoming attack. She didn't have to wait long as almost immediately numerous kunais were flying towards her. It was in this situation where Hinata felt extremely grateful towards Sasuke for improving her speed, or else she knew she wouldn't be able to dodge all of them.

Hinata continued dodging while she aims and shoots with her bow. Her Byakugan allowed her to locate the position of the enemies allowing her to shoot some of them down without much difficulty. As she continued on aiming and shooting, the amount of kunais flying towards her drastically reduced before it fully stopped and then there was silence. Hinata eyed her surroundings warily, her byakugan still activated. She heard footsteps and she knew the enemies would show themselves soon.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Your speed has improved greatly, Lady Hinata, and that was some good shooting. It seems that you didn't laze around after running away from Lord Satoshi." The rain ninjas snickered as they made themselves seen.

Hinata frowned. "I have no time to laze around when being chased by ninjas like you."

"Smart, Lady Hinata, smart." One of them muttered. "And I see you're alone. The Uchiha finally saw how useless you are? Or you decided to leave him out of your own free will?"

Hinata chose to not to answer.

"You know, Lord Satoshi wants to label him as a kidnapper. He said if he can convince others that he kidnapped you from him, they will have a reason to sentence him."

"Sasuke-kun didn't kidnap me." Hinata stated firmly.

"Oh? Already on first name basis?" The leader grinned. "Lord Satoshi wouldn't be pleased."

"I do not care if he's pleased or not." Hinata nonchalantly answered.

"You do know that the Uchiha's future is in his hand, right?" The Rain ninja continued. "Piss him off and the Uchiha will suffer."

"The rest of the villages will not punish Sasuke because he has done nothing wrong."

"Are you sure? Will they willingly give a traitor another chance after he had foiled his second chance by kidnapping you?"

"I will not hesitate to say this out many times. He did not kidnap me."

"But they do not know." The Rain Ninja grinned.

Hinata grimaced absorbing the reality of their words. "Sasuke-kun. . . isn't involved. Don't punish him when he has done nothing wrong."

"We won't if you come with us," the rain ninja said, "follow us back to the Rain. Return to Lord Satoshi and our Lord will not file a complaint about the Uchiha. Uchiha Sasuke will be allowed to travel around freely like how he used to."

Hinata eyed them carefully. It was in her hands now. Sasuke's freedom was in her hands. If she decided to go against them, her wretched husband would do his very best to convince everyone else that Sasuke has kidnapped her and will definitely use his power and influence to make sure that Sasuke would get punish. Hinata didn't want any of that to happen and she could prevent it from occurring. All she had to do was to go back to Hidden Rain. Get locked back in that mansion and became a tool for her husband once more. She didn't want that either.

However, was she willing to be selfish? Hyuuga Aiko died because of her and if she continued on with this selfish act, Sasuke would lose his freedom and be punished because of her. There's a limit as how selfish one can get, and Hinata didn't want to go overboard.

Clenching her fists, Hinata gave her answer. "I'll . . . follow you back to the Hidden Rain."

It would be painful to return, but perhaps this was for the best. All this wouldn't have happened if she had just stayed still. Hyuuga Aiko would be alive and Sasuke would still be travelling around in peace. If her returning to the village would set things right a bit, Hinata would not hesitate to do it. Perhaps this was her fate after all. To be locked in and used. Perhaps it was the only thing she would be good at. To be used.

Hinata controlled her tears, refusing to let them fall in front of the rain ninjas who were now snickering. They wasted no time to grab her and bound her hands and legs so that she wouldn't escape anymore. They took her bow away and roughly dragged her along with them. Hinata looked down, not wanting to meet any of their amused gaze. She would not give any of them the privilege to see her sadness.

They pulled her along with her and it was then when Hinata felt it again. The menacing chakra. And it was coming closer. Part of her secretly hoped it was Sasuke and she chided herself for thinking that way. No, it must not be Sasuke. Besides, Sasuke wouldn't locate her that quickly no matter how fast he was. It must be something else.

Hinata pretended not to notice when she felt the chakra getting closer as well as the rustling noise she had heard. The Rain Ninjas seem to finally be aware of the extra chakra and they stopped, with some of them taking guard. They looked wary, and even afraid. Hinata wasn't surprised. She could feel the chakra herself and it was overwhelmingly scary . . .

Hinata had no idea what happened next. All of a sudden, there was a loud growl and a big dark-skinned creature appeared before them, killing everything in its way. Hinata was pushed aside in the frenzy and she could only watch as the raging monster eliminated the rain ninjas one by one, growing various weapons and appendages to smash all of them, showing no sign of mercy as blood splattered everywhere.

At first Hinata wondered if this creature was helping her, but she pushed that thought aside when the creature set its eyes on her. Now that she looked at it carefully, the creature looked like a man in a monstrous form, but Hinata had no chance to pursue that thought further as the creature immediately made its way towards her in rage.

In a panic, Hinata released an immense amount of chakra to distract it as she tried to force herself out of the bounds. The creature paused due to her chakra, only to roar with fury the moment it subsided. By then, Hinata had only managed to free her hands and there was no time to free her legs as the monster was already charging towards her. Her eyes widened and she frantically looked around for something to hit it with when she noticed her bow at the corner. Despite her legs being bound, she tried her best to leap as far as she could, landing right beside her bow. She grabbed it quickly and since there was no time to grab an arrow, Hinata used her own chakra to create one.

The creature was now inches away from her and Hinata hurriedly shoot her chakra-arrow towards it. It glided straight towards the creature's neck where the creature roared furiously the moment it was hit. It stopped moving and collapsed almost immediately and Hinata knew she must have hit the right spot. She panted and breathed in relief when the creature fell onto the ground, now motionless. Hinata decided to use this chance to untie herself and escape before the creature wakes up.

What she didn't expect though, was for the creature to suddenly shrink in size and change from a monstrous raging creature it was into a well-built and big man with spiky orange hair.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**: Hey! Sorry for not updating for three months. The semester was tedious, so I wanted to focus on. But now that the semester has ended as well as my exams, I'm quite free now as summer break is here! I promise I will try to update weekly after this. Though I will need to juggle between babysitting and updating. But no worries, this story will be completed. Also, I did say in the first chapter it will be lesser than 20 chapters, but now I think it will definitely be more. Once again, sorry for the delay! I will try to make up to you guys with faster updates this time.

Also, this chapter is un-beta-ed. I read through it twice and edited mistakes I can find, but I'm sure there will still be mistakes. I will update it with the beta-ed version once my beta-read, dearest **MewBladeXxX** send it back to me. I just feel guilty for making you guys wait so long so I'll upload this first. Thousands of apologies!

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 15**

**by deadly-chronicles.**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

**We do not own Naruto. Naruto belongs to Kishimoto.**

* * *

There were very few thing in life in which Shikamaru couldn't solve. He was after all a genius, albeit a lazy one, but he had always been able to solve almost anything: strategies to counter an ambush, mission tactics – you named it and he could solve it. However now, in one of the rare moments of his life, Shikamaru was . . . stuck. He had no idea what to do or what else he should to do to approach the situation.

What Naruto had asked him to do was simple, at least by name. He merely had to find out the true identity of the Lord of Hidden Rain, or to the very least, some clues about him. Yet till now, he couldn't find any. It was either that most of the records were sealed or the Amekage had been doing a great job covering up his tracks that may lead to his identity. Shikamaru though wasn't the type to stop. Yes, he may be lazy, but he wasn't the type to give up just because he wasn't making progress. In fact, he tried to go beyond. He had no idea how many Shinobis he had talked to, especially those who had gone to Hidden Rain for missions before, in hope to find some information. When that wasn't enough, Shikamaru even forced himself to sit inside the research center, which was where he currently was, gathering secret files and scrolls hoping to find _something_. Yet, despite his efforts, the information he had collected were little and mostly pointless. He was at the point of pulling out his own hair. Who would have thought that finding the true identity of someone could be so tough?

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Shikamaru was lost. His next move would be vital. Any wrong steps could increase suspicions and if that were to happen, the chances of finding the true identity of Satoshi would be slimmer than it was already now. Shikamaru could not afford that, not with what was at stake. There must be something he could do, something his genius mind strangely could not pick up. It was frustrating him to the point that he felt like hitting his own head against the desk he was currently resting on.

"This is troublesome," he groaned, succumbing to his temptation to bang his head onto the desk, "Extremely troublesome."

"Shikamaru-san," a voice snapped him out from his actions.

Shikamaru looked up and was met with the face of the bespectacled woman. "Ah Shiho. How can I help you?"

The cryptographer blushed and looked away. "Ah, I heard from Ibiki-san that you are trying to figure the true identity of Satoshi - the Lord of Hidden Rain. . ."

"Well yea," Shikamaru scratched his head, "I haven't made much progress though."

"Well," the cryptographer looked around nervously, "I don't know if it'll be much help, but I did some digging . . ."

"Oh? What is it?" Shikamaru asked, curious. Shiho had helped him when he wanted to decipher the scroll Jiraiya had left, but now he didn't really have anything to crack. He was curious as to what the cryptographer had found.

"Because of the ninja alliance, I managed to gather some information from the Hidden Rain before they cut off their ties with us. I mean, it's not that I was suspicious or anything, but that Satoshi gave me the creeps when he first stepped into Konoha, so I went to do a little bit of research. This isn't much, but this," Shiho rambled and grabbed a few pieces of paper from her bag only for it to slip from her hands and scatter all around. Embarrassed, she mumbled a thousand apologies as she gathered the papers again with Shikamaru deciding to help.

"What's this?" He asked, staring at the paper in his hand.

Regaining her composure, Shiho adjusted her glasses and began to explain. "These papers are part of a mission report I manage to gather. Parts of it though. Amegakure cut of our access to their mission reports immediately after . . ."

"After . . .?"

"After Hinata-san was sent away to marry Satoshi," Shiho murmured, "That action is enough for us to guess that they are hiding something . . ."

"You're right," Shikamaru mumbled as he read the incomplete report carefully not to miss any details. His eyes widened and he looked at Shiho who gave him a knowing look.

"Strange isn't it?" the cryptographer said, "According to the report, Satoshi was sent on a mission before the war and the report clearly stated that he didn't make it. Satoshi supposedly died during the mission. Yet now, he is alive and leading the village. It is just . . . odd."

Shikamaru couldn't agree more. It was indeed odd. If Satoshi was supposedly killed during a mission, then who the hell was the Satoshi now? An imposter? If so, why isn't the village doing anything about it? Unless they are not aware of it? Or maybe they are aware and just letting it be?

"The only conclusion I can come up with," Shiho cut Shikamaru off his thoughts, "is that something happened to Satoshi during the period he was dead. Perhaps someone took over his body, or duplicate it for personal gain. The Satoshi we are seeing now could either be a vessel or a puppet for someone. That could explain the dual chakra the Hokage kept on sensing. Now, we just need to figure out who that someone is."

"But that would tough judging from our resources. We don't have much information on Hidden Rain." Shikamaru argued.

"True, we don't have much information here, but if we can't find it here, we just have to find it from the other side." Shiho reminded him.

"Other side?" Shikamaru stared at the cryptographer, puzzled before realization dawned upon him.

"That's it. Why didn't I think of it before?" Shikamaru groaned to nobody in particular.

"Perhaps because you have a lot of things in your mind . . ." the cryptographer added sadly.

Shikamaru sighed before smiling slightly. "This is going to be more troublesome, but thanks for your help Shiho. I owe you one."

The cryptographer blushed as Shikamaru made his move knowing what to do now. "Be careful, Shikamaru-san!" She blurted and Shikamaru waved it off as an acknowledgement before leaving the research center completely.

He knew what his next move would be now. Shiho, the cryptographer, had provided him enough information and hint to actually start somewhere. True, he wouldn't be able to gather much information about Satoshi or the Hidden Rain from Konoha itself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't find information elsewhere. Informations are vast and mostly spread all around the places and Shikamaru is pretty sure where he must go to find something about Satoshi.

It would be very troublesome, but for the sake of Hinata, Naruto and his village, he would need to gather information . . . from the village of Hidden Rain itself.

Whether he liked it or not, Shikamaru must now prepare himself for an infiltration mission.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"That's your last patient for today, Sakura!"

The pink-haired medic breathed a sigh of relief as she completed healing the broken leg of a ninja who had just returned. She wrapped up the leg carefully with a cast before giving the ninja a stern but gentle look.

"Don't overexert that leg too much. I healed the broken tendons, but it would still take a few hours for it to function perfectly. Take care of yourself, okay? I'll ask a nurse to guide you out."

"As expected from a student of Tsunade-sama," the ninja complimented her, "you really heal fast."

Sakura said nothing and merely smiled as a few nurses ushered the ninja out. She immediately slumped down against her chair, tired from all the healing she had done today. She was probably one of the greatest medic-nins in the hospital which means she usually would be in charge of healing serious injuries or patients in critical conditions. When there's time, she would help out the other medic-nins who are healing those with minor injuries. As much as it was draining her chakra, Sakura never pushed away a patient just because she was tired. So many times she was forced by the other nurses to go home and rest as they fear she was overexerting herself. Sakura was one of the head medic-nins, thus of course they would worry for her safety. Without her expertise, the hospital could be in disarray. It was also because of that Sakura tend to always listen to her co-workers whenever they told her to rest even though deep in her heart, she still wanted to help the patients. However, she could not afford to be selfish. The last time she acted selfish, it didn't turn out well.

Her thin lips pursed as she thought of the memory. Even till now, Sakura was overwhelmed by guilt. She shouldn't have clung to Naruto like that. She shouldn't have used his feelings for her just because she needed comfort. She should have stayed strong and not let Sasuke's departure affected her much. If she had done that, perhaps Naruto wouldn't be so fixated on trying to cheer up and would be aware that someone else – a gentle girl like Hinata – needed his help more.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. Hoping that no one had noticed, Sakura quickly wiped off her tears and packed her belongings since her morning shift had ended. She left the hospital and took the normal route towards the building she always headed for every time her shift ended. Standing in front of the building now, Sakura calmed her nerves as she entered, clutching her bag tightly. After a few turns up the stairs, Sakura found herself standing in front of the door, her nerves acting up again as she was about to knock.

"Sakura?"

She immediately turned not expecting anyone to see her and was met by the gaze of Sai, except this time, he wasn't smiling.

"What are you doing just standing in front of Naruto's office? Aren't you going to enter?"

"I was just about to knock," she fidgeted and Sai frowned.

"You weren't. You were just standing there lost in your own thoughts. You have been doing this for a few days. You stood in front of his office but didn't dare to knock. You just stood there before leaving the bento box outside his door and left without saying anything to him."

"I didn't know you were watching."

"I was just observant. Are you here to leave the bento box without facing him again?"

Something inside her suddenly snapped. "I'm pretty sure Naruto could sense my chakra from inside, yet he didn't open the door. That's enough proof for me to know that he doesn't want to see me."

"He or you?" Sai looked at her sternly.

Sakura clenched her fists. "I . . ."

"He reached out to you when you were in need. Perhaps now it is your turn. Sometimes, we just have to make the first move . . ."

"What if he still hates me . . ."

"Naruto never hated you before. Sure, he speaks before he thinks sometimes, but Naruto never ever once hated his friends before. That includes you."

"Am I still his friend?"

"Do you doubt him?"

"No." Sakura murmured. "I just wonder if I deserve to be part of his friends. He has done so much for me, yet . . . I have not done that much for him, and mostly, I just caused him pain. What kind of friend am I, Sai?"

"Then perhaps it is time to change that. Be here for him now when he needs someone the most. Someone he can trust. Someone who has always believed in him in the battlefield and that someone is you Sakura. The bonds both of you shared extended way before I joined team 7. No one can understand Naruto more than you. Do not let that bond shatters just because of one mistake, Sakura."

Sakura stared at Sai, amazed by his words. She had underestimated Sai. She had thought Sai who was still trying to grasp the concept of emotions wouldn't be able to see through her, but he had read her like an open book. Perhaps that was why. Sai was still new with emotions, but he knew what they meant. He knew what sadness was. He could differentiate anger and happiness. He knew emotions, but because he was new to the concept, he wasn't blinded by them unlike her, or any other for the matter of fact who were still blinded by grief. If she hadn't heard Sai's words, she would probably still be a coward and ran away instead of facing the man she had been dying to talk to for some time. She smiled at him thankfully as she felt the confidence soaring in her again and before those confidences disappear, she quickly knocked the door in anticipation.

Except there was no answer.

Almost immediately, the confidence that was building up in her disappeared to non-existence. She tried again weakly this time, but she was still hoping that there was some kind of answer. She was about to try again when she heard his voice.

"I'm busy." His voice was heard from the other side of the door and it immediately stopped her from knocking again. Her smile turned sad and it took great strength of her not to break down right there and then.

"Sakura . . ." Sai called out worriedly seeing her shaking uncontrollably.

"I'm really a fool . . ."

"Sakura . . ."

"Do me a favour and pass it to him, Sai," she passed the bento box to him, her hands still shaking before walking away, "I should go home now. It's been a long day."

"It's not your fault, you know," Sai called out to her, "Things like this, it is hard to put the blame on just one. So many factors are in place."

He hoped that it would bring her some kind of comfort, but from the way her body stiffened and the words she said next, Sai realized that some wounds were just too deep to heal.

"But I'm partly to be blamed. So I'm at fault too, and no words can change that."

She disappeared before he could argue with her and Sai was left standing alone, his attention changing from the bento box in hand to the unopened door. He suddenly felt frustrated and without thinking, he barged into the room smashing the bento box onto his table.

"Why didn't you see her?"

"I can't . . ." Naruto's voice was hoarse as if he was restraining himself.

"She wanted to talk to you. She wanted to make it up to you. Why didn't you let her in?"

"I can't . . ."

"Why—"

"I just can't okay!" Naruto cut him off. "Not after what I said to her last time. Not after I indirectly blamed her for what happened when it wasn't her fault. I just can't face her like this! Not when I'm still an emotional bastard. Not when my words could hurt her. I don't want Sakura-chan to get hurt. . ."

Stunned, Sai spoke the first thing that came into his mind. "Fools. Both of you are fools."

"What?"

He shook his head and shoved the bento box towards Naruto. "She wanted you to have this. Have a great lunch, Naruto."

Sai didn't utter a single word when he left the office, leaving a perplexed Naruto behind. Outside, Sai pondered about the pain he saw in Naruto's eyes just now which was exactly similar to the pain he had seen in Sakura's eyes when she stood outside the door. Both of them were in pain, yet the only reason they were suffering was because they were trying to prevent the other from hurting.

Naruto thought that by avoiding Sakura, he would save her from the hurt his words might cause. Sakura though thought that Naruto would be better off without associating himself with her because according to her, she had done nothing but to only cause him grief, thus she avoided him. Yet, their actions were causing a toll on themselves and it just rendered their original aim of preventing pain to the other useless.

So why did they still do it? Why were they still causing each other hurt and grief by avoiding each other when it could be reduce by facing and helping one another? Why?

As Sai thought about his two friends, he wondered why his heart was aching as well and he realized that perhaps, there were just some emotions he still couldn't understand.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXXx**

Hurt. Pain.

Those were the only emotions she could feel as she made her way back to her apartment. Sakura didn't even bother to hide her tears, allowing them to fall freely despite the strange stares she was getting from the villagers. She couldn't blame them. Who wouldn't when they were seeing the student of the previous Hokage, one of the war heroes, crying without control? But Sakura couldn't care less anymore. She was tired of putting up a strong front. She was tired of pretending that everything was okay when it wasn't. She just wished everything would return to normal again.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't feel that something was crawling up her hands. It was only a few minutes later where she felt the itch and Sakura wanted to swipe it off when she realized what it was.

"What's this?" she wondered inspecting the small bug on her hand, "Shino's bug?"

The bug seemed to be telling her something and Sakura listened carefully to the message being relayed. Her eyes widened and she immediately rushed off to the gates once the bug flew off her hands. She didn't answer when the guards asked her where she was going. She continued running out of Konoha towards the venue Shino had instructed her to go to. Sakura didn't stop and never once she looked back as she leapt from trees to trees. She didn't care that she was tired or her chakra needed time to replenish, Sakura kept on moving. It was only when she arrived at the place Shino told her to go to did she realized that she was far away from Konoha and deep inside a forest.

Sakura sauntered slowly, her eyes observed her surroundings carefully in case any enemies popped up. She couldn't sense anyone or anything. It was making her wonder if the message was a trap. When she heard a creak behind her, Sakura turned around swiftly; ready to punch whoever that was approaching her, only for her to smash the ground creating a huge crack and a massive amount of smoke.

"What the hell Sakura! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Once the smoke cleared, Sakura blinked realizing who her 'attacker' really was. "Kiba?!"

"Damn, if that punch was to hit me, Konoha will have one less ninja." Kiba groaned.

"I doubt it would fatal." Sakura told him and he snorted at this. She sighed. "Why the heck did you mask your chakra? If you showed some signs that it was you, I wouldn't have attacked. "

"For precautions. Can't afford to let the enemy know where we are. You did as Shino instructed right? You masked your chakra all the way here right?"

Sakura nodded. "But why did you ask me to come all the way here? And where is Shino anyway?"

"He is somewhere deeper in the forest. I came here to fetch you to the exact location. We figured it would be better for all of us if we didn't tell you exactly where, you know, in case someone followed you," Kiba explained and Sakura listened as he led her deeper into the woods, "And regarding why you are here, we need you to help heal someone."

Sakura stiffened. "Someone?"

Kiba said no more as she was led towards a small hut. How a hut was here in the middle of nowhere, she had no idea, but Kiba seemed to have read her thoughts.

"Shino's bugs are very useful. I always thought they only devour things, but apparently they build things too. We found this rundown house and his bugs helped fixed it to make it more accommodating." Kiba explained. "Come. Shino and Akamaru are inside.

Sakura followed Kiba in and the atmosphere was dull. She saw Shino and Akamaru in a room, though it wasn't them that caught her attention, but something else laying in the middle of the room.

A burnt body.

Sakura gasped and covered her mouth, hoping that it wasn't true. "Is that . . ."

"No, that's not Hinata, if that's what you are thinking," Shino said as if reading her thoughts and Sakura found herself heaving a sigh of relief, "but . . . it is someone that we believe can help us find Hinata and Sasuke."

Hearing his name, Sakura's body went rigid. "Sasuke-kun? W-What . . ."

"Ah, Naruto didn't tell you?" Kiba interjected. Sakura shook her head, her body still tensed as Kiba continued. "We have reasons to believe that Sasuke is with Hinata right now."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"When we traced her chakra, there are elements of lightning with her. Also, we overheard some rain ninjas talking about it, about someone with the element of lightning, wielding a sword and possessing a bloodline-limit saving Hinata when they were about to capture her. From their description, we are pretty sure the bloodline is the Sharingan." Kiba explained.

Sakura was confused. What in the world was happening? Why was Sasuke dragged into the picture? "Sasuke-kun saved Hinata? Why would he . . ."

"Beats me." Kiba shrugged. "I could never understand the Uchiha's actions sometimes. If you want to know why, you should ask him yourself, and in order to do that, we might need this poor old lady help here."

Sakura gazed at the burnt body again. This poor soul held the key to finding Hinata and Sasuke. If she healed her, they could find them and everything would go back to normal, just like before. She knew it wasn't that simple but she would like to believe it was.

_Everything will be back to normal if this old lady is alive._ _And the pain will be gone._

"So Sakura, will you heal her?"

She didn't care that she was tired or that her chakra had yet to replenish fully. She placed her hands towards the chest as green light emit from her palms.

"Are you mocking me, Kiba?" Sakura said, her voice now had a tinge of hope and determination. She turned around and looked at her three comrades with fiery eyes. "I'm a medic-nin. I don't run away from the wounded. But it will take time. Her injuries are severe."

"Take all the time you need," Shino assure here, "the three of us will be standing guard."

She thanked them and resumed the healing, the fiery passion in her eyes now brighter than ever.

_I'm a medic nin. It's my duty to heal her. It's my duty to reduce the pain. It's my duty to set things right._

**XxXxXxXXxXXxXXxXX**

The sky was darkening. The dark clouds were looming above, conquering the skies where not a single ray of sunlight reached the forest. Already deep inside, Sasuke stopped when he heard the flock of birds flying. He grimaced knowing that it wasn't a good sign. Forest birds rarely flew in flocks. If they do, it could mean that the birds sensed something and were running away from it. There's the possibility that they were just escaping the storm but Sasuke was doubtful. It didn't help that he had sensed a very ominous chakra for a second in this very forest, a presence which died down as quickly as it appeared. The chakra died down before he could recognize what it was or who it belonged to, but the presence itself was enough for Sasuke to conclude that this forest was bad news.

That means if he wants to find Hinata, he must better do it fast before there isn't anything else to find. He knew that Hinata could take care of herself and now that he had trained her, she would be more than capable to do so. He didn't doubt her capabilities, but he had trained her to fight ninjas, not monsters.

And that ominous chakra he felt just now? It definitely was _not_ human.

He increased his pace and kept going even though his body was still numb and had yet to fully recover from the poison. However, he could not afford to rest. Time wasn't on his side. He must find Hinata before the enemies or whatever creatures residing in this forest get to her first. Sasuke frowned realizing that he was actually worried about the Hyuuga. He wondered since when he was greatly concerned over her safety, but groaned knowing that he wouldn't be stuck in this predicament if she hadn't left him in the first place. Just remembering that she had left him behind was enough to sour his mood all over again.

"You better not die before I find you, Hinata, or else. . ."

Or else what? Sasuke couldn't understand his own thoughts. Yes, he rather not see her die now or else all the troubles he had been through for her would be wasted. But that wasn't it. The point was, he_ didn't want_ her to die. The thought of her dying scared him and he couldn't understand why. This was making him afraid. He had seen many people dying before him and he usually didn't give a damn so why did the thought of one Hyuuga Hinata vanishing from the surface of the Earth scared him. . . ? These thoughts were perplexing and it was making him furious, annoyed and confused . . .

Sasuke tried to snap out of it and increase his pace, but no matter what, Hinata kept appearing in his thoughts. He had seen how the enemies treated her when they caught her last time before he interfered. They were brutal, relentless, and they would make sure that they would have their way with her. For the fact that she had escaped from them once, he was damn sure that they would be even merciless if she was caught again.

What if they activate the seal again? What if the seal is at its limit and that one last activation will end up killing her? What if he couldn't get to her on time? What will be of him? What will be of his redemption? Could he continue on life and his journey for peace even after she was gone? Could he, knowing the fact that he failed to protect her?

Without him realizing, Sasuke further increased his pace, fueled by the thoughts of Hinata dying. He must get to her fast. He couldn't let that happen. He could not let Hyuuga Hinata die. Not now. Not ever. Not while he was still breathing. Because as long as he is _alive_, Hyuuga Hinata _must_ live too.

He had no idea why but he needed her to be alive.

_Damn you Hyuuga Hinata, you are really messing up my thoughts._

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

For a moment, everything around her was a standstill. The trees weren't swaying, she couldn't hear the birds twittering above and she was rooted on the spot, unable to move as all of her attention were fixed on the man lying motionless on the ground – the man where seconds ago was a monster, the monster she had hit.

The transformation caught her by surprise. From the hideous creature which caused rampage and nearly killed her, this orange-haired man seemed harmless. His shoulders were broad, his body bulky and wide. Hinata could imagine that if this man was to stand up in front of her, she would feel very tiny. Yes he was big, not enormous like a giant, but bigger than any men she had known. However, despite that, his aura wasn't threatening, strangely.

Perhaps it was because of his bright orange hair, which even though not similar, had somewhat reminded her about her previous crush and his cheerful persona. Or perhaps it was the serene expression he had on his face despite being unconscious, or maybe it was just his chakra. Compared to the creature just now which emitted a malicious and dark chakra, his was the complete opposite. It was warm instead of omninous as well as gentle and not filled with rage. This man wasn't harmful. Not one bit. And he was hurt because of her.

In her defence, he did nearly kill her. She was just trying to protect herself. Who wouldn't when you are on the verge of being slaughtered by a monster? She didn't know that the monster was well . . . a man. Now that she knew though, she couldn't help but to feel guilty. She had hurt a man and she had no idea whether to help him or not. What if she helped him and he ended up transforming into that creature again - the monster she knew she had no chance of defeating? But what if she ignored him and left him alone, but he ended up dead?

The sound of roaring thunder eventually snapped her out of her thoughts making Hinata aware of how dark the sky had become. A storm was on its way and she wasn't under any kind of shelter. She was about to move but paused when she thought about the man. Hinata stared at him biting her lips nervously. She couldn't just leave him here. He wasn't sheltered. Hinata pondered about it again and again. Bringing him to the nearest shelter wouldn't kill right? While at it, maybe she could help remove the arrow stuck on his neck while he was still unconscious. Who knows seeing the arrow might trigger his transformation again?

_Just breathe Hinata. You are just going to find shelter for him and if he suddenly transforms, just run as quickly as you can. Sasuke-kun has worked on your speed. Everything will be fine . . ._

Taking a deep breath and not hesitating any longer, Hinata activated her Byakugan to search for a suitable location. She figured she should find a place where she could easily escape in case he transformed again.. The last thing she needs is to be stuck with a monster in a place which makes escaping more difficult. This thus rules out enclosed areas such as caves.

The shelter of course must be big enough to cover both of them. Since it must not be enclosed, the only thing she could think of would be a gigantic tree. Scanning the area, Hinata saw a rain tree big enough to shelter the both of them not far away from their location. Carefully, Hinata lifted the orange haired man placing his arms around her shoulders. He was much heavier than her. Carrying him was impossible and Hinata was more than content to be able to move him by dragging even though she had to walk extremely slowly.

It took quite a while, but after a long ordeal of dragging the orange haired man to the tree, Hinata placed him down and slumped on the ground to catch her breath. When she felt she had restored enough energy, Hinata reached out towards his neck and attempt to pull out the arrow. Her hand moved slowly, careful enough not to damage any arteries. As she was doing this this, she couldn't help but to look at his face again and it was then when she realize that he looks strangely familiar. She had seen this man before somewhere, but where?

Figuring that there was no point thinking about it as she couldn't recall much anyway, Hinata focused on her task. Her concentration was solely on the arrow and his neck when she felt the orange haired man flinched and groaned. Caught by surprise, Hinata jumped up and immediately entered a defensive position, her heart beating fast and her breathing uneven as she stared into those red-orange eyes.

The orange-haired man stared at her and Hinata found herself taking a few steps back subconsciously. She wondered if she should even still be here. Shouldn't she run away now while the man was still on the ground? This man could be dangerous, yet she couldn't make herself to leave, but she didn't try to hide that she was fearful either. The man's eyes suddenly widened at this as if something had just dawned to him and Hinata wondered what was going on in that head of his. Did he know her?

"I transformed into the beast, didn't I?" the man suddenly spoke. Hinata flinched, not expecting to hear him speak. She hesitantly nodded but remained wary.

"What happened?" he asked.

Still not lowering her guard, Hinata answered. "You . . . There was a monster on rampage. I shot it with an arrow. It then turned into you."

It was only then where he felt the tingling sensation on his neck and the man immediately went for his neck and pulled the arrow out without qualms. He scratched his wound as if it wasn't bleeding and that it only itched. He then stared at the arrow he just pulled before turning his attention back to girl, his expression a mixture of somberness and . . . gratitude?

"You saved me." The man suddenly told her and Hinata blinked in confusion.

"Eh? I shot you with an arrow. How is that saving you?"

"I can't really control the beast whenever I transformed . . . It seems that your chakra coated on this arrow subdued it somehow. I can't imagine the terrible things that may have happen if I continue to be on rampage. So thank you. Thank you for shooting me. If it's not for you, I'll probably still be the monster."

"Umm . . ." Hinata shuffled her feet nervously, "You're welcome?"

She saw the man's lips twitched upwards as he leaned against the tree branch and stared at the sky. Hinata suddenly felt nervous. Why was she here again? He seemed fine now so she could go now right? The sky was getting darker than before so she should probably leave before it started to rain heavily.

She was about to move from her defensive position when the man spoke again. "You look strangely familiar. Have we met before?"

"I don't think so . . ." she answered though she wasn't sure herself. He did look familiar to her as well. Hinata suddenly began to panic. What if he wasn't a stranger? What if he was sent by the Hyuuga clan or Satoshi to assassinate her or take her back? Well, the monster in him did save her just now from the Rain Ninjas, but what if this nice front he was putting on now was just a façade? However, Hinata couldn't sense any menace. Her heart was telling her that this man wasn't a threat, but still . . .

"Maybe we had accidentally cross upon each other somewhere before?" Hinata finally added trying to push all her negative thoughts away.

"Perhaps." He answered not pushing the topic further. "What's your name?"

"Umm . . . Hinata."

"Hinata-san," he greeted and stood up, his eyes still fixed on the sky, "it looks like a storm is coming. I have a house in this forest. We should head there for shelter before the storm comes."

"We?" She didn't bother to hide her surprise.

"Yes, the house will be warmer. I can brew some soup for you. My friend who is residing there as well might mind, but ignore him. You can stay till the storm subsides."

"Umm . . . I don't want to impose."

"Take it as a form of gratitude by me for saving my life."

"I didn't really save your life . . ."

"Really Hinata-san, if you hadn't interfered, I'll still be on rampage."

Hinata didn't want to imagine what would have happened if he was still on rampage. She probably wouldn't be standing here right now. Maybe she should just accept his hospitality. After all, it would be hard to find a proper shelter in her situation. However, she had promised herself not to rely on anyone. Also, she was still wary. Can she trust this man? Her instincts told her he wasn't a threat but her instincts could be wrong . . . She should stay away. She shouldn't accept his offer. She should . . .

"Okay. . ." she ended up telling him and Hinata wondered why was she always like this. Why was she always too polite to the point that she couldn't reject an offer? How long was she going to act meek and polite?

"Follow me then." The man snapped her out of her thoughts. With a sigh, Hinata followed him as he led the way silently hoping that she had make a wise choice and had not just follow a stranger who could kill her.

Again, she pushed away the negativity and followed him, staring at his broad back. From behind, his form looked intimidating, being big and all, but yet, his chakra was peaceful, as if the monster inside him didn't even exist. She watched as birds flew towards the man and landed on his shoulders, chirping a beautiful melody and he made no move to scare them away. He allowed it as if he was used to it and the more Hinata looked at it, it was as if the birds were used to being with this man, as though he was part of this forest. Hinata observed with interest. He was rather gentle with the birds. Perhaps this man wasn't bad at all. She felt guilty for actually thinking ill of him and it was then she realized something.

"Ah!" Hinata squeaked.

The man turned, a pretty blue songbird nestling itself comfortably on its head now while the others of various colours rested on his hands. "What's wrong Hinata-san?"

"Your name." Hinata blushed in embarrassment knowing he had heard her squeak. "I don't know your name."

The man smiled and turned his attention to the birds again, patting and scratching them rather fondly and gently, perhaps even gentler than other 'kind' man she knew. She smiled sadly, realizing how hypocritical she had been. Just like how she shouldn't judge Sasuke because of his past hatred, she shouldn't judge this man too.

"Juugo." The man suddenly responded and she jumped at his voice. "My name is Juugo."

**xXXxXxXXxXXx**

Juugo had always been a peaceful man. He despised fighting, but sometimes he didn't have a choice, especially when there was a monster lingering in him. Following Sasuke had kept the monster at bay, but after the war, they had gone their separate ways. He had been struggling to control the demons without Sasuke's intervention, which was why he chose to keep himself within the walls of this forest, far away from civilization.

He had no idea why he transformed this time. One minute, he was roaming happily searching for something which he couldn't remember what right now and all of a sudden, the demon in him demanded to be released the moment he felt threatening chakra signatures within the forest. He wanted to contain it, but failed as he transformed and went on rampage. His subconscious mind remembered trying to fight it as the monster rage and killed some shinobis from Hidden Rain, but that was all he could remember before the monster took over him completely and his mind went blank.

When he regained consciousness, Juugo was surprised that he had turned human again. Usually he wouldn't be able to do it by himself, so how did it happen now? He was even more surprised that there was a woman near him, and when she explained about him being on rampage and her shooting him with an arrow; it was enough for him to conclude that the woman had saved him. He had taken out the arrow from his neck using his bare hands and he could still feel the chakra lingering on it. It was calm, warm and perhaps it was because of her chakra that his demon was subdued.

She told him her name was Hinata and feeling thankful, he had invited her to his sanctuary as a storm was approaching. Hence now here he was heading back to his home deep in the forest as the woman followed behind. He could tell that she was still slightly wary of him, thus the distance, but other than that, he knew that she no longer saw him as a threat.

"Juugo-san, is it further?" Hinata asked as the sky was getting darker and she had no idea whether they were reaching shelter soon.

"We're reaching. Hinata-san. Don't worry, we will be there before the storm comes."

Again, Hinata decided to trust this man and follow his lead. He led a deeper and she was greeted by the sight of a small house. Despite its size, the atmosphere seemed calming and peaceful.

"JUUGOOOO! WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG?!"

Or so she thought.

Hinata gasped when a white haired male swung his sword to attack Juugo and Hinata nearly wanted to aim her arrow at him. However, Juugo avoided the attack with ease, but the white haired man was . . . snickering. Again, like Juugo, he looked vaguely familiar to her. Also, there was something about his smile. It made her shudder.

"Suigetsu, behave. We have a guest." Juugo calmly told the white haired male.

As if only realizing her presence, the white haired male stared at her. Hinata felt that she was being violated just by the way he was looking at her. She had this overwhelming urge to run away or cover herself even though she was already fully clothed.

"Tch, we barely have space for the two of us and you brought a bitch along?" He sneered and Hinata's eyes widened at his crude remark. "But you sure have good taste, Juugo. She sure is _fine_."

"Suigetsu," Juugo warned but he didn't flinch one bit. "She's a guest and you will treat her with respect like how we should treat all females. A storm is coming so she will be staying her for shelter."

"Tch, whatever." Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Did you find some meat?"

"Ah." So that was what he was supposed to look for. Meat for dinner. "No. Sorry about that."

"What?! You found a bitch but didn't find meat? What the hell am I supposed to eat?!"

"I can brew some soup," Juugo tried to calm his friend down.

"I don't want soup. I'm tired of being a vegetarian. I want meat!" He snarled before focusing his attention on Hinata. Suigetsu smirked. "Hmm, maybe I should eat _you_ instead."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Cannibalism?"

"HAHAHAHA!" Suigetsu chortled. "Funny bitch. I didn't mean eating you _literally_."

"W-What?" Hinata was appalled when she realized what he meant. She barely avoided the attack when Suigetsu suddenly charged towards her. Juugo tried to stop him, but Suigetsu didn't seem to mind hurting his friend as long as he got what he wanted. The white haired male continued to swing his weapon around as Hinata focused to dodge his attacks. She continued to dodge again and again and thought, what in the world had she gotten herself into? Juugo was normal, but his friend, this Suigetsu, was downright _insane._

"Wow, you are fast despite being busty!" Suigetsu grinned before laughing maniacally again. "You are making me more excited, bitch!"

Hinata didn't bother answering or chide him for his crude language. She continued evading hoping to find an opening soon. She was caught off guard by his sudden strikes so she didn't have the time to prepare her bow. If she wanted to attack him, she would need to use her gentle fist. However, Suigetsu was swift. Nevertheless, despite that, Hinata managed to find an opening and she was about to lay a hit when the man suddenly turned into a puddle of water.

_He can change into water?!_

The puddle moved and Hinata froze as the liquid transformed back into Suigetsu behind her. She wouldn't be able to move on time. She was going to get hit. Time seemed to slow down as she saw his weapon being swung towards her. To her right, she saw Juugo moving forward either to push her away or block the attack, but then . . .

"Touch her and I'll _kill _you."

Juugo paused, his eyes widening at the unexpected intrusion. Suigetsu stopped as he felt the sharp blades on his neck, grinning as he recognized the voice of the man he hadn't seen for two years, the man he had once followed.

Hinata though had forgotten how to breathe for a moment as she gazed into those_ angry _black eyes. She wanted to smile because he came, but on the other hand, she wanted to run away as well because he looked _pissed. _Gulping, Hinata soon found her voice.

"S-Sasuke-kun."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N**: This chapter was just difficult to write. It is supposed to be the breakthrough of Sasuke and Hinata's relationship, but I just can't get it right. Extremely sorry for the delay. Updates will now be on the last weekend of the month or the first Monday of the following month. In the situation where I miraculously have free time, there may be extra updates in between. Once again, I apologize.

Special mention to** Umnia**, as if it wasn't for her personal message, this chapter probably wouldn't be here right now. Thank you for the words of encouragement, **Umnia.**

And special thanks to my beta-reader **MewBladeXxX** who tolerates my inconsistent updates. Ahaha.

Enjoy xx.

* * *

**Kaminari to Mizu**

**Chapter 16**

**by deadly-chronicles**

**beta-ed by MewBladeXxX**

* * *

"Chouji, we are going to be late!" Yamanaka Ino stood outside the academy, waiting for her teammate plus friend to appear. She had been waiting for fifteen minutes and she wondered what was taking Chouji so long. His class ended an hour ago, hence he would have more than enough time to prepare before her arrival, so why was she still waiting? Also, it was rather awkward to stand outside the academy with a bouquet of flowers at hand.

"Chouji!" she called out again hoping that her friend would appear soon because she was getting tired.

"Coming! Coming!" Akimichi Chouji appeared with numerous amounts of paper bags at hand, "sorry, sorry, it took quite a while to prepare."

"Chouji," Ino glanced at those bags incredulously, "What are those?"

"Food!" the chubby ninja exclaimed with a grin, "I figured Kurenai-sensei probably wouldn't have much time to prepare her own meal with her child making a fuss, so I prepared some for her!"

"But isn't it too much for Kurenai-sensei?"

"We can share! We are going to eat together like one big family," Chouji beamed, "Of course if you guys can't finish your meal, I'm more than willing to eat them up . . ."

Ino said nothing and merely smiled as her friend continued to ramble on about the meals he had prepared. Chouji's way of showing care was through food and he obviously cared for Kurenai and her child a lot to prepare that much. She giggled at the thought of Kurenai's reaction. She probably wouldn't be expecting them. After all, they had just visited the day before.

Just as she had expected, Kurenai was surprised when she opened the door to greet her visitors, "Ino, Chouji? What brings you two here?"

"To visit of course!" they cheerily exclaimed.

"But you guys just visited yesterday," Kurenai blinked as she led them in.

"Nothing wrong with visiting everyday right?" Ino chirped before her expression changed to worry. "Unless you mind?"

"Of course I don't mind." Kurenai told them, "And I'm sure Ayumi-chan enjoys both of your company.

Ino perked up hearing Kurenai's three year old daughter's name. "Where is Ayumi-chan?"

"In her room, sleeping. After all, she just spent the entire morning running around the house. She'll wake up soon. " Kurenai chuckled.

"If that's the case, I'll help Chouji heat up the meals!" Ino beamed and entered the kitchen, unaware of the gaze Kurenai had on her.

Even though Kurenai hadn't been on a mission for years, she was still perceptive. She noticed things, feelings especially, and she knew exactly why Ino never failed to visit her every single day, dragging Chouji along at times. Ever since Hinata was sent away, Kurenai had noticed changes around the village. Naruto was less bubbly. Sakura immersed herself with work. Shino and Kiba kept themselves occupied with missions to suppress the urge of dragging Hinata back. Shikamaru tried to find loopholes in the marriage hoping that he would have an excuse to make it illegitimate. Team Guy had tried to act normal, but even the spirited Lee and Tenten was affected by Neji's guilt of not being able to save his cousin. Perhaps only Chouji and Sai acted the way they were, but Kurenai knew they only did so to provide strength to their friends.

Nevertheless, despite the changes she had seen, Kurenai didn't have to worry much about them because she knew the slight changes in their character meant that they were not in denial. They acknowledged that there was a problem and each of them was trying to cope in their own unique way. However, there was one person Kurenai was worried about.

Yamanaka Ino.

Unlike the others, Ino showed no sign of distress. She acted as if nothing had happened. She was still jovial, bubbly and cheerful. Her eyes sparkled as if she had no worries. Throughout the years Hinata was away, Ino acted nonchalant. It was as if she didn't care, but Kurenai knew that wasn't the case. It was because Ino cared too much that she acted as if nothing had happened.

Different people had different ways to fill the void Hinata had created. For example, Naruto was consistent with his paperwork only after Hinata had left. Kurenai realized that paperwork was Naruto's way to fill that void, to keep him sane. Kiba and Shino on the other hand always requested for missions near the Hidden Rain. They had told her once, if Hinata couldn't be by their side, they wanted to be at least somewhere near her, even if they couldn't see her. It was their way to deal with the emptiness. The others too had their own ways, but Ino . . . her method was different. She tried to fill up that void by being Hinata.

She wasn't replacing her. She was merely continuing Hinata's work. She took care of Ayumi-chan and visited her every day, something Hinata always did when she was around. She also tended to Hinata's garden after Neji had given her access to it after much persuasion. Despite her own responsibilities, Ino always attempted (and mostly never failed) to assume Hinata's previous duties as well. No one had asked her to do, but she did it anyway on her own free will. Kurenai should be touched by Ino's actions, but she wasn't. In fact, she was more worried because in that three years Hinata was gone, Ino didn't break down nor did she seek comfort. It also didn't help that Ino had lost someone important during the war, but again she kept quiet about it and this concerned her because she knew there was only much Ino could take. Kurenai feared that if Ino kept on bottling her feelings, she would break sooner or later. She felt that enough was enough. She must talk to her.

"Ino?" Kurenai called out.

"Hm?" the blonde blinked appearing from the kitchen.

"Can we talk for a while?"

"Okay?"

"Please stop this."

"Huh?" Ino blinked. "Stop what?"

Kurenai gazed at her with worry. "Pretending to be okay when you're not."

"Haven't you noticed, Kurenai-sensei?" Ino smiled sadly, "Everyone's not okay. Everyone's _pretending_. I just want everything to be normal again . . ."

"So you fill in Hinata's role?"

Ino shook her head. "I am not trying to replace her. _No one_ can replace her. But . . . everyone is trying to remember Hinata in their own way. For me . . . I want to remember her by doing the thing she does . . . Is it wrong, Kurenai-sensei?"

"No it's not," Kurenai smiled, "but you should not overexert yourself, Ino. You'll make others worry."

"I'm sorry," Ino sighed, "I really didn't mean to."

"Don't worry about it," Kurenai gave her a motherly hug, "just talk to any of us when you need to, okay?"

"I will," Ino smiled, her blue eyes glistened with appreciation, "let's have our lunch now, okay? Chouji brought a lot of food!"

"Sure—" Kurenai was about to say, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She excused herself to open the door, not surprised by who it was. Kurenai chuckled. "Shikamaru! Finally found some free time to drop by?"

"Well, yea . . . about that . . ." Shikamaru scratched his head.

"What's wrong?"

"I might not be able to visit you for a while," he sighed, "there's this mission I have to do and it will take quite a while."

"It involves Hinata, isn't it?"

Shikamaru nodded and sighed again, "Well, I'm sure Ino and Chouji will watch over you well, but still, take care of yourself yea?"

"You are not bringing them along?"

"No, I'm not." Shikamaru frowned. "I do not want them to get involved . . . at least not for this mission."

"What mission?" a voice interfered and Shikamaru sighed knowing who it was. Her blue eyes didn't seem too happy.

"Hey Ino," he tried to smile, "just a mission to find out the true identity of Satoshi."

"And you are doing this alone? What are you supposed to do anyway?"

Shikamaru knew Ino wouldn't stop till she knew the truth, so might as well just tell her. "Nothing much, just infiltrating the Hidden Rain."

"And you are doing this _alone_?" she repeated.

"Yea."

Silence surrounded them and Kurenai could sense the thick tension between the two. It was a matter of time before someone broke it though, judging from how tight Ino was clenching her fists and then . . .

"You moron!" Ino yelled practically pinning the poor man to the ground, "Why did you keep doing this?"

"Do what?" Shikamaru struggled to speak. Having an enraged Ino on top of him wasn't something he would like to experience every day.

"Doing everything by yourself! It's always like this ever since the war. You are always going for solo missions. You don't even rely on us anymore. Even now . . . Why?! Aren't we a team?! Don't you trust us?! Don't you trust _me_?" She whispered in the end.

His heart clenched seeing how hurt she was and it was all because of him, but no matter how much he wanted to bring her, relied on her, he couldn't. No . . . He mustn't . . . because if anything were to happen to her, he would have broken it.

"It's . . . It's not like that."

"Then what is it?! Why can't you rely on us? Why-"

"It's because I don't want to put you in danger okay!" Shikamaru snapped and Ino was silenced. "If anything is to happen to you in any missions . . . if you are hurt, or fatally wounded . . . I won't be able to forgive myself. I promise _him_ that I'll protect you, that's why if anything happens to you, I'll . . ."

"I can still get hurt here. I can still die here, you know?"

"You are not helping, Ino."

"Of course I'm not helping! I bloody well know of the promise you made to my father before he died, but you know what? I promised your dad too. I promised him that I will take care of you, watch over you and keep you away from trouble!" she cried, her voice softening, "but how can I do that if you refuse to let me in?"

"Ino . . ."

"I'm not a little girl, Shikamaru," Ino pleaded, "my father meant well, but I don't think he means for you to keep me away just so I won't be in danger. I can take care of myself. I'm a shinobi too, so please . . ."

He was no match for her pleading eyes, but he was still lost. He turned to Kurenai, who understood why he was still unwilling, "Don't worry about me, Shikamaru. I used to be a jounin you know? I can protect myself and Ayumi-chan without Ino and Chouji looking out for me 24/7. You should worry about yourself. You need them."

Shikamaru nodded and turned his attention back to Ino. He held her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Stop crying. Comforting you is troublesome."

"Idiot." she chuckled in between her cries, "you are an idiot."

"And you are weird. Are you laughing or crying?"

"Shut up." she punched his chest. "Moron."

Shikamaru winced before placing his hands on the back of her head, effectively pulling her head down to his chest. "Sorry."

"Me too."

"Umm, am I missing something?" Chouji asked his mouth full of meatballs seeing his two friends on the ground in a rather compromising position. He would call it a hug, but it didn't really look like one either. He blinked. "Guys?"

"Yea Chouji, you missed something all right, "Shikamaru smirked at his confused friend, " because we, team 10, are finally going on a mission."

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

"Naruto . . ." Sai shook the sleeping Hokage attempting to wake him up, "Naruto, wake up."

"Naruto." He tried again, but no avail.

"Sleeping beauty must be awakened by a kiss," a voice told him and Sai should be shocked, but he wasn't surprised anymore because there was only one person who could sneak in like that and give bizarre suggestions.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sai deadpanned, "why don't you do it?"

"Oh no, I must safeguard my first kiss for my maiden~"

"How tragic of you not to experience your first kiss yet." Sai smirked.

"What?" Kakashi rolled his eyes, "have you?"

"No, but I am 21 so I'm forgiven but ah, how old are you again, sensei?"

"Man, you guys are pathetic." Naruto yawned. "Not even getting your first kiss yet. Should I introduce you two to some girls?"

"No thank you," both Kakashi and Sai uttered in unison, "we don't need to be taught by someone who had their first kiss taken by his rival . . . who is a guy."

"W-WHAT?!" Naruto sputtered, his face red, "that kiss with Sasuke doesn't count!"

"It does. No arguments," Sai stated, "because we have more important matters to discuss."

Naruto snickered. "Heh, like what? Who is willing to date Sai?"

"No." Sai seemed unperturbed, "It is more to, who is willing to follow our beloved idiot Naruto to the all Kages meeting."

"Huh . . ." Naruto groaned, "Must I really bring guards? I can take care of myself you know . . ."

"It is part of the procedure." Sai told him, "Though, since I'm nice, I have selected myself to go with you as I am your assistant. You just need to choose another one now."

"Naruto," Kakashi grinned, "Pick me."

"I can't choose you Kakashi-sensei. I need you to be temporary Hokage while I'm away." Naruto reminded him and Kakashi's shoulders immediately slumped as he imagined all the paperwork. "There must be someone . . . Ah! Sakura-chan!"

"Sakura seemed to be gone for a while. Eye witnesses claimed that she suddenly ran out of the village . . ."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "That's strange . . . Sakura-chan isn't one to leave without a reason. Something must be wrong."

"But it is Sakura. So she must have her reasons for doing so. Let's trust her." Sai assured him.

Naruto smiled and thought of who else he could bring. "Ah Shikamaru!"

"Will be away for mission soon and he is bringing team 10 along."

"Hm, Yamato?"

"Busy with his genins."

"Neji?"

"Eyed by Hyuuga-clan."

"Lee? Tenten? Guy-sensei?!"

"All three are away."

"EH?! AND WITH KIBA AND SHINO ON A MISION AS WELL, DOES THIS MEAN I'M STUCK WITH ONLY SAI?!" Naruto screamed in agony.

Sai scoffed. "_That's_ your greatest worry?"

"Heh," Naruto grinned before turning serious, "but I realized something. Since Satoshi will be there, I should take advantage of it. I should bring someone who is good with chakra . . . Someone that is great in chakra sensory . . ."

"You are right, but we do not have a shinobi with such capability, do we?" Sai wondered.

"No we don't . . ." Naruto heaved out a sigh before his eyes beamed in excitement as he recalled something . . . or someone. "No we do! How could I forget! She didn't leave with them!"

Sai was perplexed. "Naruto?" He called out but the Hokage was already dashing out of the room.

"I'll come back with the second guard. Don't worry!" Naruto exclaimed and disappeared before Sai could say anything else. The assistant merely shrugged it off, but smiled at how Naruto seemed to find a silver lining in everything.

Outside, Naruto dashed across town wanting to reach the location as soon as possible. How could he forget? Konoha did have a chakra sensory expert! Well at least, only after the war they did. He could only hope that she was still here and hadn't left to find her friends. After much turns, Naruto finally arrived at the outskirts of Konoha where she stayed. Seeing her worn down and small house, he felt guilty. Her living in the outskirts of Konoha in a house of this state, it was like she belonged, yet she also didn't.

Naruto stepped forward and saw the woman hanging the laundry. She definitely had sensed his presence as she stopped whatever she was doing and stood frozen. Hesitantly, she turned to face him.

"Hey," Naruto grinned sheepishly, "Can we talk for awhile, Karin?"

**xXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Hinata didn't have to guess twice to know Sasuke was pissed. No, he wasn't only pissed. He was livid. The air surrounding him was thick and his aura was screaming to kill. Even though the tip of his blade was on Suigetsu's neck, his annoyed eyes were on her.

"S-Sasuke-kun."

Her voice croaked when she called out his name and he wasn't stupid enough not to notice the underlying fear in her and somehow that annoyed him greatly. He didn't like knowing that there was this possibility she was still afraid of him.

"Hinata." The annoyance in his voice was obvious. "You were not easy to find."

Hinata fidgeted. Of course she wasn't easy to find. She had masked her chakra perfectly wanting to avoid both her pursuers and him. She didn't want to be found. She didn't want him to find her if possible. She wanted him to be far away so that he wouldn't be involved, but in the end he was still here. In the end, he had still found her and was about to save her yet again.

She was nervous, he could tell, but he wasn't going to give in. He wasn't going to break eye contact just because she was fidgeting under his intense gaze. He wanted her to meet his gaze. If she really wanted to leave, he wanted her to look at him in the eye and tell him straight. He didn't want some stupid letter. He wanted to hear it from her personally, from that annoyingly sweet and calming voice of hers, and only if she did this would he then respect her decision and _may_ begrudgingly back-off.

"Hey Sasuke, I don't know what the hell is going on, but your blade isn't comfortable." Suigetsu choked out and it was only then Sasuke realized that they weren't alone. His attention had only been fixed on her that he wasn't aware of his surroundings.

He glared at the white haired male who tried to grin in response. Even if he tried to act brave or nonchalant, Suigetsu wasn't an idiot. He had traveled with Sasuke before and he could easily tell that the Uchiha was pissed now. That made his position rather uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was for a pissed off Uchiha placing his blade on his neck. His life was literally on the line here.

"Oi Sasuke . . ." Suigetsu choked out again.

Sasuke didn't like to be interrupted from his thoughts. Especially not by an asshole who nearly stabbed Hinata if he hadn't intervened. He had many ideas in his head as how to make Suigetsu pay, but that wasn't the priority now. His main problem was something else. He was here to confront Hinata. As much as he loved to punish Suigetsu, that would have to wait for now. Feeling rather annoyed, Sasuke then threw Suigetsu off to a nearby tree without reluctance.

"What the hell?!" the rogue ninja yelled, but Sasuke ignored him. He wasn't in the mood to fight him. Hell, he wasn't in the mood to do anything. He was pissed, confused, his head was throbbing and his body was still hurting all over. It didn't help that his surrounding was starting to get blurry.

"Hinata." Sasuke growled and the said woman gasped as he approached her. That only made him frown further. He could still vaguely hear Suigetsu's words of protest, but other than that, nothing else matter. The only clear vision he had was her. _Only her_. Everything else was a blur. All except for her. Hyuuga Hinata. The object of his current frustration and confusion.

He approached her and she looked mildly terrified. Her widening eyes said it all. Why? Why was she afraid? Sasuke wondered, was it because he was _that_ terrifying? Was that why she ran away from him, even though she claimed that it was for his own good? Was not wanting him involved any longer merely an excuse to conceal her true fear of him? Was that the truth? No, _what_ is the truth? Sasuke could no longer tell. Was she afraid, or was she not? He had no clue anymore. However, there was one thing he could be sure of, and that was the thought of her being afraid saddened him. If she was really scared of him, it felt like he would be stabbed by that fear. It would hurt.

"Why . . ." he breathed heavily standing in front of her. His breathing was ragged and his vision was worse than before. He tried to look at her in the eye. He wanted to stare at her, glare at her, a look that would tell her that he was annoyed and frustrated, but he couldn't because his body was weakening and he had no idea what the hell was happening anymore.

"Why . . ." he continued. He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her a piece of his mind. He wanted to ask her why she was afraid, but he couldn't. No words came out even if he tried. He was breathless. It was painful. It . . .

"I'm not afraid," the soft voice reached his ears and his eyes widened. How could she have known? How could she know what he had wanted to say? How could she have understood him? Sasuke forced himself to look up, trying to take a good look at her, but all he saw was a blur. Yet, despite that, he could see the determination in her eyes. The fear was still there, but she was determined and he was now more confused than ever.

"I'm not afraid of you, Sasuke-kun," she repeated and held him tight, "so please hold on."

Her face seemed to be the only clear vision to him, so Sasuke looked at her carefully trying to comprehend her words. Her eyes were determined, but they were also sad. It was then when he realized it; what her fear truly meant. Just like the time he had saved her from those rain ninjas, this fear was not of him, but _for_ him. He had misunderstood it. She wasn't afraid_ of_ him. She was afraid _for_ him. She was actually concerned about him. Somehow knowing that calmed him. For once, he felt peaceful, even if it was slightly. He felt as if part of a burden was lifted from him, as if he actually had found it, that peace he had been looking for. Realizing that, Sasuke let out a weak smile, before everything around him turned black.

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

When Sasuke first appeared and stopped Suigetsu, she was terrified. After all, he looked pissed as if he wanted to kill someone. She was actually worried for Suigetsu, fearing that Sasuke might really unleash his murderous intent on him, even though the white haired ninja did try to harm her.

Yet, despite the deadly aura Sasuke was emitting, Hinata could tell that something was off. Something was just not right with Sasuke. He was acting strange. She could see it from his eyes. It was almost as if he was lost and confused. His eyes were pleading with her, asking her.

_Are you afraid? Why are you afraid?_

Even though his focus was only on her, his eyes weren't intimidating. They were pleading, reaching out to her. She couldn't help but to respond and to reach back to him. It was painful to watch, seeing him so . . . _vulnerable_. It reminded her yet again that the Uchiha Sasuke was still human despite how he carried himself. However, why was he acting this way? Sasuke wasn't one to show his emotions openly. Yet, she could see clearly the turmoil in his eyes. Something was wrong and the moment he collapsed in her arms, she knew something was definitely not right.

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!" Hinata shook the now unconscious Uchiha hoping for a reaction, but there was none. Her eyes widened in panic when she noticed how high his body temperature was. Sasuke was burning up, rapidly.

"Sasuke-kun, please hold on," she pleaded trying to find something to cool him down. Sensing her duress, Juugo approached her and checked the man in her arms, the same man he once followed.

"Did anything happen before this?" Juugo asked as he examined Sasuke's pulse. He frowned when he felt it weakening, "his condition is bad."

Juugo did not miss the panic in her eyes when she heard those words. "He . . . he was poisoned . . . but I brewed a medicine for him before I left . . . It should have worked. The herbs had never failed before . . . Why . . . He should have been fine . . ."

"It seems that he hasn't fully recovered," Juugo explained, "and since he moved before his body could achieve full recovery, it had taken a great toll on him. At this rate, it isn't looking good."

"No . . ." Hinata gasped, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, " . . . this is all my fault . . . If only I hadn't left him alone. . . It's my fault. . . M-My—"

"Don't worry," Juugo smiled, hoping it would calm her down, "I will make some medicine. With proper care, he will be fine, Hinata-san."

Hinata nodded, but Juugo could tell that she was still worried. Her eyes were downcast and her lips were pursed trying to hold back her cries. Despise her anxiety, Juugo couldn't help but smile. He had traveled with Sasuke long enough to know that women annoyed him greatly, yet he went all his way here to save this one even though he was still injured and weak. Now, Hinata – the woman Sasuke went all the way to save – was currently worried sick for him, displaying clear signs of duress and concern seeing his condition. Somehow, Juugo had a feeling that something interesting was bound to happen between these two.

"Don't worry," Juugo tried to appease her, "he'll be fine. Sasuke-sama is a stubborn man. He won't die from poison. For now, let's bring him inside."

Hinata nodded and proceeded to help Juugo carry Sasuke, but Juugo stopped her. "Suigetsu, help me carry him."

"What?!" the white haired male hollered. Hinata had almost forgot about his existence even though he had tried to kill her, but his yells were enough to make his presence known, "Why should I?! He tried to kill me!"

"That's because you tried to harm Hinata-san."

"I didn't know the bitch was Sasuke's woman!" Suigetsu shouted causing Hinata to blush madly at his remark. "If I had known she belongs to Sasuke, I wouldn't have—"

"Suigetsu," Juugo warned after noticing the embarrassed Hinata, "just help me carry him.

"Don't wanna."

"Suigetsu."

"He tried to kill me, bastard!"

"I won't cook any meat for the next six months."

"Fine, I'll help you!"

Without delay, Juugo carried Sasuke into the small house with Suigetsu's help, placing the Uchiha in his room. Hinata followed them, observing worriedly.

"You should rest too, Hinata-san. You can take Suigetsu's room." Juugo offered.

"WHAT?!" again the white haired male protested.

"You did try to kill her. It is the least you can do to redeem yourself."

"No, I do not want to redeem myself and I will not give my room to some—"

"It's all right." Hinata interfered before things turned ugly. "I want to stay here. I want to stay by Sasuke-kun's side."

"I understand," Juugo answered. "Please do watch over him. Suigetsu and I will prepare the medicine now."

Hinata didn't answer. She merely nodded in acknowledgement, but her eyes were only fixed on Sasuke. Juugo didn't take offence. He understood why. Thus he left the room, taking Suigetsu along who wasn't too happy in being dragged around like a puppy. Switching into his liquid state, he escaped from Juugo and attempted to attack him from behind. However, Juugo was already more than familiar to Suigetsu's sneak attacks that they weren't all surprising anymore. He easily stopped it.

"You bastard!" Suigetsu snarled.

Juugo stayed calm. "Why are you so angry?"

"Why are we wasting our time helping him and that bitch?"

"Sasuke-sama is our friend."

Suigetsu actually rolled his eyes. "Tch, friend?! We are not friends. All of us merely traveled together for convenience! Besides, if we are actually friends, he would have at least said something to us before he left and not just leave us hanging!"

Juugo said nothing and allowed his friend to vent his frustrations. He knew Suigetsu was a prideful man. That man wouldn't openly admit that Sasuke was a friend, but Juugo knew that Suigetsu actually thought of him as one, which was why he was upset now. Juugo couldn't blame him. Sasuke had left them hanging after the war. Without a word of goodbye, Sasuke left and the group of misfits known as Team Taka was forced to disband.

"Perhaps you may not consider him a friend," Juugo chose his words carefully, "but you've known him long enough to know that he's not the same. You saw it right . . . just now?"

"After he threw me onto that tree for trying to hurt that busty woman?" Suigetsu scoffed. "Yea, he was acting strange. You think she is the reason for it, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"The more reason why we shouldn't trust her! I bet it is her fault that Sasuke is in this state. We should punish her instead. Let me have a go at her!"

"You will not do all that. Sasuke-sama will be mad."

Suigetsu scoffed. "Like I care."

"She's different."

"Different?"

"She's sincere." Juugo explained. "In this world filled with darkness and cruelty, such sincerity is hard to come by. With that sincerity, I think she might be able to save him, save Sasuke-sama from the darkness that has been haunting him for years."

"Wow, since when are you so philosophical? My ears just bleed."

Juugo sighed. "Just help me with the medicine, Suigetsu."

"Fine! I'm only doing this because I have nothing better to do. Not because I care about that bastard or something. It's nothing like that!"

"I know, Suigetsu," Juugo murmured trying hard not to smile at his denial, "I know."

**xXXxXXxXXxXxXXx**

As Juugo had told her, Hinata watched over Sasuke. In fact, her eyes never left him. She felt hurt when she saw his pained look despite being unconscious. Half an hour later, Juugo came in with the medicine and aided her in giving the unconscious Sasuke the liquefied remedy. He then offered Hinata a private room to rest in, but she politely declined, wanting to stay by Sasuke's side till he awakens. Juugo understood so he didn't argue and merely left her alone.

Once Juugo had left, Hinata continued to look after Sasuke. Juugo was kind enough to provide her with the supplies to lower his temperature; hence Hinata spent the next few hours taking care of him like before. The pain she felt heightened the longer she stayed by his side as she watched Sasuke agonizing in his unconscious state. He was still suffering.

Seeing him like this, she felt immense guilt. He was in this state because of her. He took the hit for her and was poisoned because her. She thought she had cured him before she left, but she was wrong. Some of the poison was still lingering in him. She had left him when he was at the most vulnerable state. She had left him when he needed someone. Even though it was her fault, he should have been smart enough to know that he was still weak to move, yet he still went ahead to look for her. He went all the way to search for her despite his weak condition, and as a result . . . this happened.

Why? Why did he do all this? Why did he bother to look for her? Didn't the letter explain everything to him? Didn't the letter told him specifically that he shouldn't be bothered by her problems anymore, and that he should just focus on his own life? Yet why?

"Why Sasuke-kun?" Hinata sniffed, unable to stop the tears from falling anymore, "why did you do this? Why?"

"Hinata?"

Her body immediately tensed and her eyes widened when she heard his voice. Surprise, she looked at him and was met with those familiar onyx eyes. . .

"Sasuke-kun . . ." she whispered, subconsciously touching his cheek to ensure herself that this was _real_ and that it wasn't her imagination, that he was really awake.

He flinched at her touch but didn't push her hand away. "You were crying."

His voice was weak and his skin was pale, but at least he was alive. Hinata smiled and shook her head, wiping the tears away. "Sorry."

"You are still crying."

Hinata tried to smile, but instead the tears fell harder. She couldn't stop even if she tried. Her emotions were all over the place. "I'm sorry . . . I just . . . I thought . . . I thought you might die . . ! You were unconscious . . . you were not moving . . ." she struggled with her words, ". . . but you are talking now . . . you are awake . . . you are alive . . . and it's real . . . and I'm not imagining it . . . I'm so glad . . . I'm so thankful the medicine worked . . . I'm just . . . so happy. . .!"

Sasuke stared at her as if she had grown another head. For one who was always quiet, she sure had said a lot in a sentence, but it was what she said that surprised him. "You . . . were crying for me? Why did you?"

"It's because you're a friend. You are someone specia—" Hinata immediately blushed realizing what she nearly said, "Sorry, I'm just so glad that you're okay."

Sasuke frowned. "You shouldn't have."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I . . . do not deserve your tears. I do not deserve _anyone'_s tears . . ." Sasuke murmured. He seemed aggrieved. It was heart-wrenching to look at. "After all, who would cry for a man of sins?"

Sasuke couldn't understand what was wrong with him. He had just regained consciousness and he felt talkative all of a sudden. He blurted words he never thought he would say; those emotions he had been keeping inside. Some drugs must have gotten into his system and screwed up his brain causing him to blurt out whatever he felt. It must have been the medicine Hinata had just mentioned about.

"I cried for you," Hinata suddenly said startling him from his thoughts, "I cried for the man of sins."

"It's because you are weird."

"Am I?" Hinata smiled sadly.

"You are weird!" Sasuke argued, "No one would call someone they barely know a friend. No one would trust someone like me so easily. You are so trusting, gentle, kind . . . It's so confusing! You _confused_ me . . ."

Realizing what he had just said, Sasuke immediately looked away, covering his face partially with one of his hands. Hinata blushed at his words. It was an indirect compliment and she wasn't expecting it one bit. In fact, she didn't expect the outburst at all and . . . was he . . . was he _blushing?_ What has the world come to? Uchiha Sasuke was actually speaking from his heart?

"I guess I am, huh?" Hinata fidgeted, unsure of what else to say.

"Sorry." Sasuke apologized and Hinata was sure the world was ending soon as an apology and Sasuke did not come together. "The medicine . . . is making me speak before I think . . ."

"Ah," that explained his bizarre behavior, "perhaps you should continue resting. It'll be out of your system soon. Do you want a cup of water?"

"Sure."

Hinata poured him a drink and passed it to him. She silently observed as Sasuke drank it eagerly quenching his thirst. Silence engulfed them even after he was done until she couldn't take it anymore. She had to ask him the question that had been haunting her.

"Sasuke-kun . . ." Hinata hesitated gripping the hem of her kimono, " . . . why did you come back? Even after I . . . Why did you still bother?"

"Your letter pissed me off." Sasuke admitted and Hinata flinched at the hardness of his voice. "If you want me to leave, tell me straight to my face."

"I-I . . ."

"Tell me Hyuuga Hinata, do you want me to leave?"

"I . . . You being here make me feel secure. I feel safe with Sasuke-kun around, but getting you involved in my problem . . . is just selfish of me. You shouldn't be around me. You shouldn't get involved, but if I am to be honest, Sasuke-kun, I want you here . . . by my side . . . I'm sorry Sasuke-kun. It's so incredibly selfish of me. The only reason I'm alive now is because of you. It was because you are by side I managed to survive this long. If you were not there . . . if you hadn't saved me, I'd probably be captured or _dead._ It's incredibly wrong and selfish of me, but the truth is Sasuke-kun, I don't want you to leave."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun." Hinata sobbed. "I'm sorry for being so self-centered . . . I'm so sorry . . ."

Once again, silence enveloped them. The only sounds heard were her muffled sobs. Hinata was sure Sasuke would hate her now. She had been selfish and she still was, wanting him by her side even now. How could she? How could she break her own promise of not relying on anyone else? Hinata felt pathetic and useless. Once again, she had chosen to rely on someone. Once again, she couldn't survive on her own. Perhaps her clan was right. She was good for nothing.

"When I left Konoha again after the war, I only had one goal. To find peace." Sasuke unexpectedly broke the silence and Hinata felt guilt again knowing that her existence had destroyed any chance of him finding peace.

"I-I'm sorry . . . If I hadn't burdened you with my problems, you could probably find that peace . . ."

"I'm not finished." He scowled and she flinched. Sasuke rubbed his temples and sighed. "You should stop blaming yourself Hinata, because if you hadn't burdened me with your problem, I would still be wandering aimlessly."

She couldn't help but to blink in confusion. "W-What?"

"This world is vast. Peace could be anywhere, but peace itself is so abstract. It's not something one can grasp with their bare hands. It is something that must be felt. Where must I go to secure it? How far must I travel to finally achieve it? I do not have the answers, but I kept going. However, despite how far I have traveled, peace didn't come to me. And I thought to myself, perhaps peace must be earned. So what must I do to obtain peace? Again I did not know how, so I started by putting away my sword. I didn't even slay animals with it and hunt them using a less gruesome technique. Most importantly, I avoid fights with humans at all cost. I stayed out of trouble and kept my distance as much as possible . . . yet despite all that, I still couldn't find it."

Sasuke went on. "When you first appeared in front of me all bloodied and fainted in my arms, I thought of leaving you alone. I have kept my distance for so long so what makes you any different? Why should I bother myself with you? But then if I leave you to die there even when I have the capability to help, wouldn't I just be adding on to my sins? So I helped you and one thing led to another. It was during that moment when I yielded my sword again to save you from those Rain Ninjas which I finally understood. I realized what I needed to achieve before getting the peace I had been seeking . . . Redemption."

"You said you are selfish, Hyuuga Hinata," Sasuke chuckled, his expression pained, "but the truth it, I am selfish too. All this while, I have been using you for redemption. Even if you ask me to leave, I won't because that redemption is my new purpose in living. I believe if I could save you, I would be able to redeem myself and abolished my sins . . . then maybe, just maybe . . . I will be one step closer to that peace and perhaps after that I can finally move on and find something else to live for . . ."

Hearing all these from him, seeing him so vulnerable and pained as he told her his struggles, it made her heart ached. It ached so much that she couldn't find the right words to say to him even though there was so much she wanted to say. Sasuke had been alone all this while struggling to find the peace he had always dreamed off. It hurt her. It hurt her so much that she knew she had to do something. Thus, she acted on it. She had no idea why she did it. Perhaps it was a spur of a moment thing, but as words couldn't convey her feelings, Hinata did the only thing she could. She placed her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace. Sasuke immediately froze.

"I'm sorry," she softly said, "both of us have been selfish, but it's fine because at least, we are not alone now, ne? I'm sorry Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry for not noticing. It must be lonely right, searching for something you can't see all by yourself. But don't worry Sasuke-kun, because now you won't be alone anymore. I'll help you search for it . . . that peace . . . that reason . . . We will search for it together. Since you have helped me, I want to help you now, so Sasuke-kun , will you let me?"

Without letting go of him, and in fact pulling him closer, Hinata waited patiently for his answer. However, she could imagine the scenarios in her head. He would push her away and then he would chide her to mind her own business. Nevertheless, if he did push her away, she would understand. Sasuke was a man of boundaries. He wouldn't like an offer of help. He wouldn't like others meddling in his business and as expected, Sasuke didn't return her embrace, but he didn't push her away either. Instead . . .

"Lullaby . . ."

Hinata was confused, but she quickly recomposed herself. "I'm sorry?"

His voice was low and strained as if afraid for others to hear his weakness. "Sing me that lullaby, and I'll let you . . ."

She wondered what lullaby he was talking about when she recalled the song she hummed for him in the cave. It was not a reaction she had expected, but Hinata smiled because that one word meant a lot. It meant that he was willing to open up. It meant that he was willing to let her in. He hadn't accepted her fully, but he wasn't rejecting her either. There was still hope.

Tightening her hands around his neck, Hinata blinked away the tears. "O-Okay. . ."

And she sang.

She sang and sang and Sasuke listened. He listened as his head slowly slumped onto her shoulders, enjoying the warmth she was emitting. He reasoned with himself that he didn't have the strength to push her away, but the truth was, he didn't want to. It was something he hadn't felt for so long. His life had been one of darkness and vengeance, he never thought he could experience this again – this simple serenity. She was like his mother, the way she sang and the way she stroked his hair . . . It reminded him of the days where his innocence wasn't yet shattered, where all he cared about was getting his father's attention, listening to his mother's voice and waiting for his brother's return. Those days where he was smiling and where he was actually happy. The days that were long ago.

But she was making him remember. He could remember how his mother used to tuck him to sleep at night and singing to him the same lullaby Hinata was singing now. He could remember how his mother stroked his hair and kissed his forehead before leaving him to sleep. He could remember her eyes, her smile . . . he could remember everything about her now and Sasuke was content, because finally in his dream, his mother was no longer a corpse. Finally in his dreams, his mother was singing and smiling to him like when she was alive. Finally, the dreams he had about his mother was no longer a nightmare.

And he could only remember because Hinata sang. Hence, Sasuke closed his eyes and allowed her warmth and her beautiful voice to fill him completely. His head was now leaning on her shoulders, but he didn't care because just for tonight, he wanted to remember the laughter instead of the screams, the smiles instead of the blood . . .

Just for tonight . . .

Few hours later when Juugo entered the room, he had a pleasant shock. Both Sasuke and Hinata were asleep, but what surprised him was how Sasuke's head was rested against Hinata's shoulder as they laid side by side. The position seemed uncomfortable as the bed was not designed for two and Juugo briefly wondered if he should move Hinata to another room, but taking another look at them again, Juugo merely smiled and figured it would be better to leave them alone.

It was not only because their hands were intertwined.

It was because in the many years he had known the Uchiha, it was the first time he had seen Sasuke looked so peaceful.


End file.
